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held my hand, hoping the big one would follow. I waited, 

 but there was no sign of him so turned down the hill again 

 rather regretting I had let the small stag go, when I suddenly 

 caught sight of the head and spreading antlers of the big 

 stag perfectly motionless in some thick scrub near the edge of 

 the wood ; he was evidently watching me, thinking he was 

 unseen, and I am pretty sure he had sent out the smaller 

 stag as a feeler ! There was no time to lose ; he was about 



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PUZZLED. 



a hundred and thirty yards off with only his head and neck 

 visible, so taking a steady aim I let drive, heard a loud tell, 

 and the stag wheeled round and disappeared. I made the 

 men beat up to me, when there was a rush and out came, not 

 the stag, but a hind ; I then posted one of the men outside 

 and took up the track from where the stag stood: had some 

 difficulty in finding it, as there was so little blood at first, 

 but it soon increased and I had not gone far when I heard 

 the stag get up and move away. I rushed out and saw him 

 making tracks back to the wood I had first started him from, 

 but fortunately I had picketed my pony on the line, and the 

 sight of him puzzled the stag and brought him to a standstill, 



