124 HUNTING CAMPS. 



four on the bays, two at the back of the beam, and on 

 one brow I imagined that I could make out ten and on 

 the other four points. Besides these there was one very 

 clearly defined extra point above the right brow. 



Now it is undoubtedly a very fine head on which 

 one can count thirty-five points at sixty yards, but, as 

 I have said, I was eager to secure a pair of even brows, 

 and no doubt my good fortune during the previous year 

 had given me an exaggerated idea of the trophies I 

 might expect to obtain. So, in spite of the urging of 

 Jack Wells, who had joined me, I put off shooting. 

 Meantime the sun went down behind us and the moon 

 rose. It was a perfectly still night, not a ripple stirred 

 the silver water of the pond on which the little wooded 

 islands showed like blots. We must have remained for 

 a very long time behind our boulder watching that 

 grand stag. Presently Jack besought me with many 

 signs to shoot and was much upset by my refusal, and 

 ultimately we crept quietly away, and, as we rose to 

 our feet in the moonlight, on the barren above I could 

 hear the stag walking through the water. " Why 

 didn't you give a gun to he ? " Jack asked in accents 

 of deep reproach. I excused myself on the score that 

 he was not as good a stag as those we had shot during 

 my former season in Newfoundland. Jack pointed 

 over the barren. " You remember that thirty-five 

 pointer you let go up there last year ? There was a 

 better head on he than on two you shot after." I had 

 to admit that was so. " Like as not, that stag you 

 let go is the best we'll see this trip ! " 



With which cheerful prophecy we went on our way 

 to camp, where I found Wynyard, who had seen little 

 save the men from Gambo. 



