202 THE STILL-HUNTER. 



away, the top of the ridge reveals no trace of your 

 buck. 



Did he fall in his tracks? you naturally wonder. 



Suppose he did. Will he not stay there a few min- 

 utes? Suppose he did not. May you not get another 

 shot before he can cross or get out of the next ravine? 

 Do you not see that with a quick run you can reach 

 the neck of the ridge he was on and may see him if 

 he runs up or across the next ravine, as he probably 

 will do? Why stand here an instant speculating upon 

 the probable result of your shot ? 



You reach the neck of the next ridge quite out of 

 breath and just in time to discover nothing. But 

 be not too hasty to utilize your discovery. For he 

 may be hiding in the brush. Walk on down to where 

 he stood when you fired and see what has happened. 

 But be not too hasty to get there, and keep a good 

 watch in the brush below while going. 



And now hark! a faint crack of brush; then a crash; 

 then another smash of brush, and the old bit of brown 

 is plunging through the brush below. But it is a la- 

 boring, stumbling gait, without any of the bump, bump 

 of hoofs plied by elastic legs. 



Bang ! bang ! bang ! goes your rifle again, and still 

 the brown goes on. Stop. Save your cartridges. 

 He is wounded, and if you empty your rifle-magazine 

 he may get out of this ravine before you can load 

 again. It is evident that you are now too excited to 

 hit anything; and therefore you had better take a few 

 moments' time to cool down. And in the meanwhile 

 fill up the magazine of your rifle, for you may need all 

 the shots it will hold. 



Now make a quick run and get on that large rock 

 that juts out some twenty yards below you. And 



