A NOBLE DAY'S SPORT. 239 



dust. " That must be the Duke's deed ; it is his Grace's 

 usual station ; besides it was done so cleverly." Other 

 shots followed, more or less successful, which turned the 

 leaders, and those that came up in the rear sprung high in 

 the air over their fallen comrades, wheeled back, and all 

 again assembled on the flat ground. They now knew that 

 they were beset on all sides, and soon came to a decision. 

 The hinds had hitherto taken the lead; but, pressed as they 

 now were, a more undaunted chief took the command. 

 Stern and determined, a magnificent hart stepped forth 

 from the ranks, and stood singly for a space in all his vast 

 proportion : he towered above the herd, as the Satan of 

 Tasso above the infernal host 



" Si la gran fronte, e le gran corna estolle." 



For a few moments he shifted his gaze from man to man : 

 then he made a desperate charge, followed by the rest of 

 the body. It was evident now that they were breaking 

 out in the west ; they all swept round behind a low rise of 

 ground, in that quarter,* at the top of their speed. 

 " Now then, Harry, run low, and do your best." 

 Down he and Tortoise came upon them, and arrived just 

 in time for the middle of the herd. Two fine harts fell to 

 their rifles. And again, as they raced by the peat-stacks, 

 another party fired upon them ; and they came so close to 

 the hill-men that they flung their sticks at them, and had 

 they not given way, would have trampled them to the earth. 

 They now broke back over the moor, and were no longer 

 thought of. It would have required much skill and many 

 hours to get the wind of them again. 



" Well, this is a noble day's sport ; but you must say 

 nothing about the hind at the castle, Maclaren. To be sure, 

 she will be seen to-morrow at the slaughter-house, and, no 

 doubt, she will have companions of the same gender ; but 

 sufficient for the day is the evil thereof; and, indeed, it is 

 of no consequence, for she will make soup fit for the supper 

 of Lucullus, if you know who he was, Peter ? " 



* This swell of ground is very low, and not far from the wood, and insuf- 

 ficient to mask the deer entirely. I often thought it might be possible to 

 use it to advantage, and now tried it for the first time. 



