202 AN AWKWARD SHOT. 



Silence again prevailed, and the two men continued to 

 advance on all-fours in the furrows of the bean-field. 

 Suddenly the first halted, and with his foot struck the 

 shoulder of the negro, who stopped in his turn. At fifty 

 feet, in the track of the moonlight, stood a second stag 

 as big as the former. 



To advance further would have been imprudent. So 

 Slouch shouldered his rifle, and after having taken aim 

 for a few seconds, let go the trigger. The stag made a 

 bound, and fell back heavily on the ground. He was 

 dead! 



The report had awakened all the neighbouring echoes, 

 and the owls, who were brooding among the boughs, flew 

 into the air, terrified by the unaccustomed sounds. It 

 was a solemn spectacle. To spring towards the place 

 where the noble animal lay extended, to make sure that 

 he had ceased to live, to cut him and remove the intestines, 

 to tie his feet together and 'throw him over the horse's 

 crupper, was the work of a quarter of an hour. 



These operations were performed in silence. So, when 

 all was finished, at the moment that Pompey, who held 

 the horse's bridle, made ready to take the road back to 

 Mr. Ramson's house, the two poachers trembled, for a 

 sudden noise disturbed the intense hush. 



Slouch, who had hastily reloaded his carbine, turned 

 in the direction of the fire, which was still burning ; his 

 eyes encountered those of an animal advancing towards it. 



Another report was heard. Immediately, Pompey, 

 springing to the front, cried out, in terror, 



" Alas, alas ! you have killed the colt of Squire Ram- 

 son's favourite mare ! " 



And, true enough, there lay in the stiffness of death a 



