228 ACCESSIBLE FIELD SPORTS. 



on the ground. The antelopes still continued feeding ; 

 so far they had not been alarmed. Twenty yards more 

 would again place me under cover. He who wishes 

 successfully to stalk game must never deem precaution 

 thrown away. On the care with which you pass over 

 an open spot depends often the success of all your 

 labour. With a feeling of gratification I regained 

 shelter, and such shelter as I was able to take the 

 twists and knots out of my legs and arms, with the 

 consciousness that I could do so without imperilling 

 success. A few moments' inspection of the game suf- 

 ficed. Like a snake in the grass, slowly, but steadily, 

 I made for the back of an unusually high prairie-dog's 

 earth. From the back of it I would be within eighty 

 or a hundred yards of my prey. The antelopes, per- 

 fectly ignorant of my presence, were quietly feeding, 

 while occasionally one or two of the youngsters, like 

 young goats, would shake their heads at each other, 

 rear up or stamp with their feet, and make other 

 grotesque threatenings of attack. The prospect of 

 venison was now in the ascendant. I commenced to 

 believe my eggs near enough hatched to count them 

 chickens, when a confounded prairie-dog, who doubtless 

 had been watching all my strategy, uttered his shrill, 

 quick whistle, and took a header into his burrow. 

 This was enough ; the antelopes simultaneously closed 



