446 THE EASTEEN HTJNTEES. 



jumps, made by striking the ground with all four 

 feet at once, propelled them far and high ; and in 

 the dim distance, they had the appearance of being 

 tossed one over the other as much by mere volition 

 as by any perceptible movement. Their forms 

 seemed weird-like and spectral as each, one after the 

 other, was thus projected into the air, clear of the 

 rest of the herd. 



But Norman had seen, too often, the curious 

 spectacle now presented to his gaze to let it linger 

 on it. His attention was more particularly directed 

 to the wounded buck, which soon showed undoubted 

 symptoms of distress. It fell far behind the herd, 

 and presently dropped into an uneasy canter. 

 This was exchanged for a walk as it became aware 

 that there was nothing in immediate pursuit. It 

 stopped several times, hanging its head low, and 

 finally lay down behind a thick bunch of the wild 

 bheer a low, prickly, berry-bearing scrub common 

 in those plains. 



Norman carefully scanned the country to lee- 

 ward, and noticed a slight mound surmounted by a 

 bush which rose from the plain at a distance of from 

 eighty to one hundred yards from the deer. This 

 he thought was sufficiently high to conceal the 

 approach of the stalker, provided he kept his bodv 

 very low. 



