A COMPROMISE ESTABLISHED. 335 



" I not only checked all desire to fire when they 

 passed, but did not even aim at them." 



" Ay ! but then you wished to," said Hawkes. 

 " You say you ' checked all desire to fire,' so you 

 must have had some desire. It's all the same thing ; 

 for if evil wishes damn equally with evil acts, you 

 are in the same boat as ourselves whichever way 

 you put it so you had better not pitch into us 

 any more." 



Norman laughed at the casuistical reasoning of 

 his young companion ; and though he would not 

 admit any culpability on his part in the affair, was 

 obliged to sign a truce. 



" Well, I won't impeach you this time," he said, 

 " I will for once overlook the grave offence ; but, 

 remember, only on this occasion. I won't have the 

 hunt rules broken, even out here." 



" You'll be precious glad at dinner-time that we 

 have been less strict than yourself," Mackenzie said. 

 " I declare the idea of the chops makes me feel quite 

 hungry. Just sec in what capital condition this 

 little beast is, considering the season." 



A compromise being thus established, no great 

 amount of remorse was afterwards expressed by 

 any one of the party at the deed which had so 

 seasonably supplied the camp larder. As for 

 old Rugonauth, when he arrived on the scene 



