"HE'S A DEAD 'UN." 49 



seven feet high, where we entered them, though it grew more shallow 

 as we went up it. 



But now Donald was moving with the greatest care, and I likewise 

 of course, as I imitated his every movement. He stopped, turned half 

 way about, and moving his hand downward, I saw that he intended 

 me to stop. When he perceived that I understood his sign he slipped 

 up over the edge of the bank in the direction I knew the deer to be 

 and wriggled his way snakewise out of sight. The gillie and I leaned 

 against the black bank and waited. 



Five minutes later, moving with no sound, and so close to the earth as 

 a man could flatten himself, Donald was back again to the gully, and 

 slipping to my side. His eyes were alight with the spirit of the chase, 

 as he leaned close to my ear to whisper: "They're juist a bit way 

 on, sir; the staug is lyin' doon, safe enoo. From yon bit hillock (and 

 he pointed to a little rounded mound close by, not over eight inches 

 above the surrounding surface). I think ye can ha' a shot, if they 

 dinna fricht, at a hunner an' ninety yard." 



I gave him back "All right" and my tongue began to dry in my 

 mouth. Ah, but I was keen to get that stag! No more did I feel a 

 disinclination to kill a deer. I had done my dole; I was entitled to 

 a deer, and I intended to get him if I could. 



With the greatest caution we worked our way to the point Donald 

 had designated, and here between the grass stems which were high 

 enough to rear their tops above my head as I lay there, I had my 

 first close glimpse of a Scotch stag and his lady kind, the hinds. 

 He looked a fine figure of a deer as he reposed at ease, his nose pointed 

 straight toward me; his gallant antlers springing from his broad brow 

 like young trees. 



As we made our last advance Donald had slipped the rifle from its 

 case and now began to slide it along the ground toward me. I grasped it 

 and cautiously thrust the blue muzzle through the grass stalks, settling 

 myself as I had thought to fire, if I had time for such a maneuver, 

 with my field glass case for a partial rest, as I knew the impossibility 

 of a right arm without a hand upon it being sufficient to sustain the 

 rifle while I fired. But alas and alack-a-day ! When I looked along 

 the sights all I could see before me was grass. Not a glimpse of the 

 stag. The rifle was too low. 



