76 DAYS OF DEER-STALKING. 



beautiful to a sportman. These, indeed, were Peter's 

 handsome moments, illuminations that shot across his 

 countenance like the sun-gleam on the moor. 



" Now, where are they, Peter? for I see you have found 

 them at last. Your eyes are ever the best." 



" Creep back, low, low. They are lying in yon corrie, 

 rather high up. Hey, what fine harts I Ane, twa, three, 

 four ; there are eight a'-the-gither ; twa of them are royal, 

 and twa mair there are wi' wide heads and few branches, 

 and these, I ken, are the fattest and bonniest of the lot : 

 baud weel to them, Sir, if you have a chance." 



" Never fear. Ah, now I see them. You said nothing 

 about the hinds, whereof there are several ; and one nasty, 

 lop-eared imp there is, some way to the south, before the 

 rest ; and if we are foiled, as I fear we shall be, this beast 

 will do it, for she was born for mischief." 



" Hist, hist, Maclaren, come you here. Take the glass 

 and examine the deer well, and most particularly that 

 sentinel to the south, for she is the beast you must dress to 

 when you start the deer. Take care and be well forward 

 when you show above her, but so that the harts in the rear 

 of the parcel do not get your wind. But it is useless to 

 give you any instructions, for you know what to do as well 

 as I can tell you ; only take care they do not go tailing 

 down the glen, and break off over Aukmark-moor. The 

 wind you ken is full south, and a difficult job it will be to 

 make them cross." 



Maclaren looked long and intently at the deer, and not 

 only ascertained their exact position, but examined all the 

 rest of the ground, to see if there was any other deer that 

 were likely to join them. He then sat down with a thought- 

 ful countenance, every now and then plucking little pieces 

 of grass, biting them, and flinging them away, like one in 

 perplexity. 



"I'm thinking it'll be no that aisy to get them ower 

 Ben-y-venie ; but I shall try to pit them intill your ground 

 at ony gait. The beast will be unco kittle to dale with. 

 Ye'll be patient, Sir, and gie me time." 



" If they do not come it will not be for lack of skill, or 

 good will on your part, Mac, for a more clever or willing 



