244 The Hunting Grounds 



were carelessly browsing on the short crisp herbage 

 close by. By dodging from crag to crag, after some 

 intensely-exciting stalking, we crept behind an isolated 

 boulder of rock about a hundred and twenty paces to 

 leeward of the herd, who were still grazing uncon- 

 scious of danger ; and, as the nature of the ground 

 was such that we could not hope to steal any nearer 

 without great fear of discovery, we prepared for im- 

 mediate offensive action. Having taken the pre- 

 caution of putting fresh caps on our rifles, B 



aimed at a fine buck that was carelessly receiving the 

 caresses of a couple of does, whilst I took the sentinel, 

 and firing almost simultaneously both fell to our shots. 

 I wounded a doe with my second barrel, but it got 



away with a broken leg ; B , however, was more 



fortunate, for he stopped a second doe with a ball 

 through the spine, and killed a young buck with the 

 second gun. as it was bounding along a ledge of rocks 

 at least four hundred paces distant. "Well done, 

 indeed, Ned !" I exclaimed, rather taken aback with 

 this splendid display of marksmanship ; " that was a 

 shot I envy you for having made, as I have rarely 

 seen a bounding deer bagged at such a distance, not- 

 withstanding I have hunted with the crack sportsman 

 of the day. It would have gladdened old Walter's 

 heart to see one of his pupils do such credit to his 

 'bringings up." 



" Yes Hal, it was indeed a long shot, and I could 



