230 THE MOOR AND THE LOCH. 



was relating with great animation just when he gained the 

 ridge of the mountain. There, however, all his tales were at 

 an end. He at once relapsed into the cool and wary hunter. 

 Creeping forward with promptitude and decision, he knew, to 

 an inch, where to look for the eyrie among all that fantastic 

 chaos of rocks. Beckoning me to advance, he showed the 

 outer sticks of the nest, and pointed to a rock close to us, 

 where lay a grouse nearly devoured, and a ptarmigan beauti- 

 fully picked, but with the skin unbroken. Our attack upon 

 the eagle began by plundering her storehouse ; for Peter, roll- 

 ing up the ptarmigan in his handkerchief, pocketed it as a bonne 

 bouche for dinner. We now held a consultation as to the 

 easiest way of approach. Scrambling down a hollow, we were 

 within fifty yards of the eyrie, when a ravine intercepted our 

 progress. I pointed to a little bank of ochre-coloured moss 

 beyond. " That's the place," whispered Peter. Back we 

 ducked again, over the same ground, and, crawling along the 

 ridge, evaded the ravine. The critical moment of failure or 

 success was now arrived. With my left knee on the bank of 

 moss, and my right foot planted against a rock, to prevent a 

 slip on the steep, my eye fixed on the outer rim of the eyrie, 

 and Peter, mute as a stone but sharp as an arrow, awaiting the 

 signal, I stopped a moment to take breath. A slight nod 

 over my shoulder, and Peter gently struck the palms of his 

 hands together, pat pat. It was just enough for the eagle 

 to hear, but it seemed very loud to me. Pat pat pat, 

 louder and louder. I was now getting very nervous. " Throw 

 a stone at her ! " Peter had too much generalship for that. 

 He selected a small pebble, and threw it on the steep, directly 

 above the eyrie. I watched every hop of the stone, lower and 

 lower, till I saw that it must drop straight upon our victim. I 

 knew it was now or never. Instantly, I caught sight of the 

 bold flap of a giant wing, and the mighty bird soared majesti- 

 cally from the dizzy chasm. The shot was not difficult. I 

 may say that my aim was cool and determined. She reeled 



