AN IMBECILE MISS 85 



was a little less murderous. We were able to go 

 straight for them, as the ground was very broken 

 and they were a goodish distance away. When 

 we got to about half a mile from them we had to 

 go canny, as they had fed out of sight. However, 

 we soon found them lying down in a small corrie 

 immediately below the Duck Loch, and were able 

 to creep and crawl up to about 100 yards from 

 them; however, only the horns of the best beast 

 were visible, so there was nothing for it but to 

 wait, which we had to do for an hour, luckily 

 sheltered from the wind and mostly in sunshine, 

 though the latter had departed before our friend 

 got up. Finally at half-past 5 he proceeded to 

 do so, and I proceeded to miss handsomely midst 

 the muffled maledictions of John and the groans of 

 the rest of the party, and* away they went up the 

 hill; and just as my enemy was disappearing over 

 the top, or rather just as he gained the top, I drew 

 a bead in desperation and, thud, got him bang 

 almost in the right place, but a little far back; 

 anyway, over he went and we knew that our 

 darkness was past and our long wait had not 

 been in vain. John's astonishment was some- 

 what great when I rolled him over going full tilt 

 at 200 yards after such an imbecile miss, and he 

 exclaimed, " How do you do it ?" And, of course, 

 it was a lucky shot, but these professionals, who 

 so seldom miss an easy shot, can never understand 

 one sometimes bringing off a gallery one (or a 



