26 FORAYS AMONG SALMON AND DEER. 



its wings measuring at least five feet from tip to tip. 

 Now, however, we made a more lengthened pause, and 

 scanned every foot of ground before us, but all to no 

 purpose. " 'Twill no be here the day," was Donald's 

 remark as he stowed his glass away, and strode silently 

 off; and we entered the hollow. Nothing occurred to 

 stop us ; so, moistening our lips at a most delicious little 

 fount, which bubbled up in the centre of the dell, and 

 then stole quietly away among moss and juniper, we 

 once more faced the brae, Donald informing us that, 

 after a little climbing, we should have a kind of plateau 

 to traverse rather more than a mile in length, and could 

 then descend direct into the woods where the roe were 

 to be found. 



Just as we reached the brow of this hill, and were 

 rather distressed for want of that all-requisite article, 

 breath, our attention was suddenly attracted by Donald, 

 who muttered something between his teeth which 

 sounded very much like a Gaelic imprecation, and then 

 dropped on his knees. The cause of this sudden 

 movement was immediately visible to us, for over 

 Donald's shoulder we descried a fine stag trotting away 

 from us at a brisk pace, and distant about a quarter of 

 a mile. We watched the noble animal receding, in 

 the hope that it might take to some secluded spot, near 

 at hand, where we might yet have a shot ; but no such 

 good fortune. " 'Twill just be ganging straight for 

 the forest," said Donald with a look of disgust, as the 

 stag disappeared from our sight. We were quite 

 puzzled as to how the deer could have been disturbed, 

 for the wind was fair for us, and he could not possibly 

 have seen us. But while we were standing in doubt, 

 the question was solved by the appearance of a shep- 

 herd with his collie, who told us that he had started 

 the stag from a burn on the other side of the hill. 



