THE SHOT. 41 



enough ; and it's not the fault of the rifle, for I ken 

 well it's a right good one, so I'll just leave it to you to 

 think it over and find out whose fault it was." 



This was all said in such a very respectful and matter- 

 of-fact way, and as If the stalker himself was puzzled, and 

 thought there might be some solution of the question 

 other than the only one his logic had left possible, that 

 it would have been churlish to take offence, and in a 

 few moments the shooter was laughing heartily, and 

 Donald and he were drinking better luck next time. 



When lying flat and firing over a tussock, do not 

 fire through long grass ; it is impossible to get a proper 

 sight if there are a lot of the long yellow blades of grass 

 peculiar to the hills, waving about in front of the fore- 

 sight. Novices will, however, attempt to do so for fear 

 of being seen if they raise themselves any higher ; but 

 a very few inches will clear the grass, and if the rise 

 be made very slowly on one elbow, detection rarely 

 ensues. It is as well to carry a few cartridges in your 

 own pocket, in addition to the supply the stalker will 

 have with him, for it is possible to become parted for a 

 short distance. Do not cock the rifle till expecting to 

 shoot ; the triggers are usually set so light, and the sight 

 of deer only three hundred yards off is so apt uncon- 

 sciously to make the finger place itself on the trigger, 

 that accidents will happen, and to say nothing of any 

 danger, such a catastrophe as the letting off a barrel by 

 accident will surely spoil your sport. Now and then it 

 will occur that during a long wait for deer to rise, an 

 irresistible desire comes to choke, or cough, or sneeze. A 

 sup of water may put matters right if there is any 



