144 MY SPORTING HOLIDAYS 



thought. But to my post, in front of which the man 

 had tramped, never. But the impossible happened. 



Another half -hour passed. I heard the occasional 

 tapping of the drivers in the distance. Then suddenly, 

 in the more open wood in front and to the left of 

 me, I saw a great gray body appear, moving quickly 

 through the trees. As I silently cocked my rifle, 

 on he came, and I saw with thumping heart that 

 he carried a fine wide head; clearly it was a great 

 bull elk. 



The crisis of the drive was on, and over, in a few 

 moments after that. The elk was evidently frightened 

 badly. He had tried to break past Ivor, got his wind, 

 and turned just exactly as we had designed. He 

 galloped straight to where I sat, then turned his full 

 broadside at 70 yards as he headed for the thicker 

 cover to my right, gave me the fairest possible chance 

 of a right and left into his vitals, and the next moment 

 fell dead with a crash. 



