STAG AT BAY. 215 



time be somewhere in the lower part of the glen to our 

 right ; and, just as I was about to raise my glass to look 

 for him, the distant report and white puff of a rifle 

 toRl of the exact spot where he was. My glass was 

 immediately directed to the place, and I at once saw 

 him standing in the open ground, his stag still going 

 away a short distance in his front. He had evidently 

 succeeded in creeping in for a long shot, but had fired 

 without success. And now Hector and I were again 

 on our legs ; this time purposing to make for a shepherd's 

 hut, whither Alister would in all probability soon direct 

 his steps, as the shades of evening were fast approach- 

 ing. For half an hour we hurried on, discussing the 

 sport of the day and other kindred topics, with which 

 a Highlander's cranium is usually well stored. 



As we reached the very bottom of the glen, at the 

 distance of a good mile from the spot where Alister's 

 last shot had been fired, a most furious barking of dogs 

 was heard some little distance down the course of a 

 fair-sized burn which took its rise at the head of the 

 glen, and traversing its whole length ultimately formed 

 the river Eedburn. As we approached, the barking if 

 possible increased in ferocity, and Hector gave it as 

 his opinion that some dogs must have brought Alister's 

 deer to bay in the stream. We advanced, and such 

 turned out to be the fact. Two collies belonging to 

 the shepherd, who lived in another branch of the glen, 

 had found the wounded beast, and evidently driven him 

 to a stand-still in this position. We crept in to obtain 

 a view. There stood the stag in the middle of the 

 stream, the water reaching almost to his belly ; in his 

 rear a high rocky bank, and before him the collies, either 

 or both springing forward every instant at his throat, 

 but always repelled by his formidable horns. No r r7 and 



