THE PRONG-HORNED ANTELOPE. 229 



into a bunch, and with every sense strained, looked 

 eagerly around for the cause of alarm. A closer 

 stalk was impossible, the movement of a mouse could 

 not escape their notice, so springing on one knee, I 

 pulled both triggers almost simultaneously, taking 

 sight for the centre of the ruck. As the smoke lifted, 

 with satisfaction I beheld two victims, one apparently 

 dead, the other making violent efforts to get upon his 

 pins, while the remainder of the drove were scamper- 

 ing across thp prairie at suqh a pace as these animals 

 only are capable of going. As quickly as possible I 

 reloaded my gun, and on advancing to bleed my 

 yictims, the wounded buck got his legs under him, 

 and had I not given him the right barrel, a nice clean 

 shot at fifty yards, tumbling him all of a heap, I should 

 have been left with only a solitary specimen. 



After bleeding my trophies, I went after Broomstick, 

 who, like all perverse beasts, had fed off at as rapid a 

 pace as possible in exactly the reverse direction to that 

 wanted. Oh, Broomstick, you provoking brute ! was 

 ever an unfortunate sportsman so tortured by having to 

 endure the vagaries of so ugly and obstinate a steed ! 

 Venting my indignation on his sparsely- covered ribs, 

 and giving him every second stride a reminder that his 

 owner was on his back, I hurried back to my quarry, 

 in the hope of making camp at an early hour, and 



