230 SPORT. 



one's rights and independent action in this way ; to 

 become a dummy, a machine, a mere component 

 part of General Donald's attacking force, a piece 

 of artillery to be kept in rear or hidden, and only 

 to be used when he chooses to call me into action. 

 I feel all this, but the stake is so large ; I am 

 playing for " Clubfoot," and I dare not take the 

 game out of Donald's hands, knowing as I do how 

 skilfully he plays it; otherwise in an ordinary stalk 

 I require to see the cards a good deal more plainly 

 than I am doing here. So he departs, and is absent 

 about twenty minutes, while I, with the aid of a 

 silent match, indulge in a pipe. 



On his return, which he accomplishes so noise- 

 lessly that he is within three yards of me before 

 I hear him, he informs me that there are some 

 very fine stags below that we could " get in" at, 

 but that "Clubfoot" is not among them. He how- 

 ever is, no doubt, below the ridge, out of sight, 

 and when Archie, who he can tell by the move- 

 ments of the lowest deer has already commenced 



