44 LIFE AT ROSEHALL. 



that grated or slipped below me. The only thing that annoyed 

 me was an occasional sheep that would see me from the bank 

 above, and by running off in a startled manner was likely to warn 

 the deer, if there were any ahead of me, of the vicinity of an 

 enemy. I had continued this course for some distance, when 

 just as I began to turn off in order to cross the valley to look 

 over the next height, and had made up my mind that the deer 

 whose recent traces I had seen must have slipped away unobserved 

 just then, on turning a corner, I caught a momentary glimpse 

 of the hind-quarters of one of the wished-for animals walking 

 slowly round a turn in the burn. I stopped, fearing- they had 

 seen or heard me, and I expected to see them leap out of the 

 hollow and make away across the valley ; but not seeing this 

 happen, I walked carefully on, and came in view of nine deer, 

 hinds and calves, who were feeding quietly on a little piece of 

 table-land close to the burn. I also saw the long ears of 

 another appearing beyond and above the rest, evidently being on 

 the lookout. They seemed to have no suspicion of an enemy, 

 and when they stopped to gaze about them their heads were 

 turned more towards the plain around than to the course of the 

 burn. The sentry, too, was seemingly occupied with looking out 

 in every direction excepting where I was. They were not more 

 than two hundred yards off, and I judged that by advancing 

 quickly the moment that they turned the next corner, I should 

 be able to get unperceived within forty or fifty yards. The single 

 hind had disappeared too, having gone over a small rise. I put 

 on a new copper cap, and felt sure of an easy shot ; the dog, 

 though he did not see the deer, perfectly understood what was 

 going on, and seemed afraid to breathe lest he should be heard. 

 Amongst the herd were two fine barren hinds, both in capital con- 

 dition. I did not care which of the two I might kill, but deter- 

 mined to have one. and was already beginning to reckon on 

 Donald's delight at my luck in getting a fine hind as well as the 

 stag I had killed yesterday. All the hinds had now gone out of 

 sight, and I moved on. At that very moment the sentry hind, a 

 long-legged, ragged, donkey-like beast, came back to the mound 



