REINDEER-STALKING 105 



' We have them both,' said Jordhai. And so it 

 happened. The second buck was shot through the 

 body, and without difficulty was approached and 

 killed. 



Our spell of bad luck being broken, good fortune 

 now came to us for a space in ample measure. 



This had happened on the Saturday. On the 

 following Monday I took the fjeld again, this time 

 with Ole for a change, and a second time we killed 

 two good bucks out of three. 



A somewhat similar find was made. Three bucks 

 were seen on the snow, and were successfully 

 approached. On this occasion the final crawl was 

 not so difficult as before. The deer were below on a 

 snow-field that terminated in a steep declivity. For 

 the last 100 yards I crawled on alone, leaving Ole 

 behind with his dog, and presently found myself 

 lying behind a convenient rock, with a good buck 

 lying on the snow below me not 80 yards away. As 

 I was getting the rifle into position I made a slight 

 noise, and the buck sprang to his feet and stood 

 facing me. I pressed the trigger, the foresight fair 

 on his gray-white breast ; there was an ominous 

 click, but no report. The cartridge had missed fire. 

 In nervous haste I dropped the block of the Henry 

 rifle, withdrew the cartridge, and replaced it with 

 a fresh one, as I lay full length behind the stone, the 

 buck meanwhile kind, considerate beast that he was 

 standing absolutely still, uncertain of the danger. 

 It was only a few seconds' delay, no doubt, but it 

 seemed hours to the man who wanted to kill that 

 deer. The next moment the rifle spoke, and the buck 

 lay dead upon the snow. 



The remaining two bucks, who had been lying 



