138 TEAVEL, ADVENTURE, AND SPOET. 



after was seated comfortably at dinner, at peace with 

 all mankind. 



Next morning, determined to bring home my 

 deer in daylight, I was early astir. Picking up 

 Duncan at the stable, I was driving quietly down 

 the road to the river, when he laid his hand on my 

 arm. 



" Deer above us, sir, quite close ; don't stop. Drive 

 on till we get round the corner." 



When we got out of sight we jumped off, and not 

 twenty minutes aftenvards I was back in the trap, 

 having missed a stag "right and left." 



"Did that hind wind us or see us, Duncan]" I 

 inquired. 



" She winded us, sir, I'm sure. I was very 

 doubtful of the wind as we were going up the 

 hill." 



" Did you see the stag at all 1 I'm blessed if I 

 did, bar his haunches, and he certainly gave me a 

 very good view of them." 



" He wasn't a bad beast at all, sir ; he had six or 

 seven points." 



" And a hind for every point, Duncan 1 " 



" That's just about what he had, sir." 



Driving on other three miles, we left the trap, and 

 taking the ponies with us, made our way up the banks 

 of the river. We were intent only on bringing home 

 our game, when what should we come on but the very 

 same stag I had missed not an hour previously ! In- 



