THE DEER HUNT. 61 



" Reckon you did not hit her." 



" You had better believe it ; I can show you the place where 

 she fell." 



" That isn't what we want. Where is the place that she is 

 now, can you tell that ? I fired at a doe, too, but a long way off, 

 and she probably is where yours is." 



" Doctor, how 's your back ?" 



" He he ! golly mighty ! he quit de saddle mighty smart dat 

 time !" remarked Caesar. 



As we rode up to the hummock where we had started the 

 game, I found the place where I had shot the doe, but she was not 

 there, though the negroes said she had fallen. 



" Throw off a dog, then," said Jackson. 



" Let Music try," said his daughter ; and accordingly Music 

 was loosened and sent in the grass. Music was a young hound, 

 spotted white and black, like a coach-dog, and with such silky 

 ears they felt like a satin robe in your hand. She was led to the 

 place where the deer had fallen, and taking its track with a 

 plaintive whimper, commenced unwinding it from among the 

 bushes and reeds. Presently a louder effort warned us to beware, 

 and cantering apart a little, so as to be able to see all around the 

 hummock, Mike's grey eye caught a sight of the doe trying to steal 

 out of the bushes. A clear ringing shot was followed by a quick 

 leap, and she fell dead. 



We laid them side by side, the stately buck and his gentle 

 consort. The dew of the morning was still glittering on their 

 hides — their eyes were as bright and as full as in life. I wondered 

 if Miss Jackson felt any pity for them, as she saw the dogs licking 

 the blood that flowed from their throats. 



One of the negroes dismounting from his pony, we put the 

 two deer in place, and tying their feet beneath the belly of the 

 struggling horse, had them sent to the place where we were to 

 meet for dinner. 



" Now one more hunt before dinner. Where shall we go, boys ?" 



"Saw de ole white buck fur sartin, dis day, maussa !" said the 

 planter's head negro, coming up. 



" Where did you see him ?" 



