OF THE OLD WORLD. 17 



will not be discovered, as the wind blows strong 

 from them to us, and I will follow when I see you 

 safely posted." 



I did as he desired, and we were now about a 

 hundred and twenty yards distant from the herd, 

 which, still unaware of our presence, continued 

 browsing on the young wood and tender shoots. 



This was tlie anxious moment — everything 

 hitherto had succeeded ; much time had been 

 spent in tracking ; the game was before us ; and 

 all now depended on a steady hand. " Take the 

 nearest, Hal," whispered Walter, "and leave the 

 further one to me — fire when I whistle. Are you 

 ready ? " 



I had covered the shoulder of a stately stag, with 

 towering antlers and a large black ruff round his 

 neck, and on the signal being given, let drive. He 

 made a bound, staggered, then fell forward, and 

 was instantly dead. 



Walter, who had a very much longer shot, 

 brought another fine hart to the ground, hitting 

 him through the hind quarters, and paralysing 

 them, and as the herd rushed by, wounded another 

 as it sprang from an adjoining thicket, where it 

 must have been lying down unobserved. I heard 

 the " thud " as the ball struck against his dun side, 

 and, jumping on a rock close by, let fly with my 

 second barrel, but the shot was too high, it only 

 cracked against his horns and stunned him for a 

 moment, for he soon recovered and went off with 



B 



