250 THE PIKE HUNTER. 



than before Slouch in the lead, andPompey follow- 

 ing him close, with a sort of lock-step, so that they 

 cast but one shadow. Presently, by a sign from 

 Slouch, they slackened their pace. He had caught 

 glimpses of a deer's eyes, though yet at a distance ; 

 and they continued advancing, but with increased 

 circumspection. 



" He's a whacker, I know," said Slouch, " by the 

 distance between his eyes. Don't let's scare him !" 



They had now approached within fifty yards, 

 when the deer suddenly lifted his head, and stared 

 directly at the light. Slouch stopped at the instant, 

 drew his gun to his shoulder, and fired. The sound 

 of the gun the louder, as it seamed, from the still- 

 ness of the air came echoing back from the thick 

 woodland, that inclosed the field like a wall ; and 

 the owls, frighted by the reverberation, flapped 

 their wings about the unwelcome light, and hooted 

 to each other in solemn concert. 



" He's done for," said Slouch, after a moment's 

 pause. " I don't hear him break." 



And the hunters moved to the spot, where a 

 noble buck lay weltering in his blood. They soon 

 turned him over on his back, dragged him by the 

 horns to the fence which stood at no great distance 

 and proceeded to clean and divide him. They 

 showed great expertness ; and the process did not 



