THE STAG IN THE RUTTING SEASON. 35 



wounded high up, I ran to him, and tried to get to his 

 side, which however was not so easy, for he turned to- 

 wards me as I approached, keeping me off with his for- 

 midable antlers. At last I managed to dig my long knife 

 twice in his side ; and now, even should he rise, he would 

 leave such traces behind as would enable me to follow. 

 This done, I quickly loaded one barrel of my rifle, not 

 taking time to use a patch, but only ramming down some 

 dry moss on the powder, and then shot him through the 

 head." 



"And where had your first shot struck him? And 

 could you find no traces of blood on the track of the 

 other stag ? " I asked, impatiently. 



" My first shot had hit him in the very best place 

 right in the middle of the shoulder, which accounted for 

 his being unable to rise. As to the other, I followed 

 him some little distance and could find nothing. You 

 may fancy how vexed I was. At any other time such a 

 stag as I had shot would have delighted me ; but now, 

 as I had not the other too, I felt as if I did not care 

 about him. What an opportunity it was, and how un- 

 fortunately it had turned out ! So I went back to my 

 stag, and then to the spot where I had been standing, 

 and thought the whole affair over again in my mind. 

 And I remembered exactly how well I had him at the 

 moment I aimed, and at the very second my finger 

 touched the trigger, and it seemed as if he must be hit : 

 but then again I could not help saying to myself it was 

 not so positive either ; for if he were, is it likely or pos- 

 sible he would, without taking the least notice of the 

 shot, have charged down three times on his fallen enemy, 

 and have butted him as he had done ? 



"So with a heavy heart I gave the matter up, seeing 

 clearly enough that the second stag was missed. As it 



d2 



