350 jWV first stalk 



position in which the stag was lying it would be im- 

 possible to hit it in a vital part, and so he said, ' We 

 must just bide a wee until she rises,' as the day was 

 near the time they feed. For yet another hour and a 

 half we waited, and still the stag and hinds lay there 

 as if they never intended to rise. The sun was hot, 

 and Donald grew drowsy. I thought to myself, 

 ' There is a large fat stag lying broadside on to me, 

 and here I lie ; but if my drowsy friend thinks that I 

 am duffer enough to miss him after making nineteen 

 bull's-eyes running at Wimbledon he's very much 

 mistaken ;' and seeing Donald still drowsy, I took 

 careful aim and fired low at the shoulder. Donald, 

 who all the time had his weather-eye open, exclaimed 

 at once, ' You've missed the deer, for she was lying ;' 

 and he apparently was right, as the stag galloped off 

 with the hinds, but before he was out of shot I fired 

 a second barrel. Again Donald exclaimed, ' She's 

 missed !' but still keeping our glasses on him, he added, 

 * She's hit !' to my inexpressible joy, and we watched 

 the stag leave the hinds and disappear in a burn. 

 Donald's expression changed from disgust to satisfac- 

 tion ; and on my reloading and starting to run, he 

 stopped me, saying, ' Leave her lie a bittie, she will 

 get sick ;' and so we walked on quietly. The distance 

 to where the stag had disappeared seemed to me to be 

 about 300 yards, but it proved to be quite half a 

 mile, the rough moor ground being so deceptive. 

 The stag was to all appearance done for, but I gave it 

 another barrel as I stood over it, and as it rolled over 

 I gave a loud ' Whoop !' To judge by his expression 

 of horror, Donald evidently thought me a lunatic, and, 

 to make matters worse, I roared with laughter at his 



