136 PRAIRIE AND FOREST. 
in the ascendant. I commenced to believe my eggs near 
enough hatched to count them chickens, when a confounded 
prairie-dog, who doubtless had been watching all my strat- 
egy, uttered his shrill, quick whistle, and took a header into. 
his burrow. This was enough; the antelopes simultane- 
ously closed into a bunch, and with every sense strained,’ 
looked eagerly around for the cause of alarm. A closer 
stalk was impossible—the movement of a mouse could not 
escape their notice; so, springing on one knee, I pulled both 
triggers almost simultaneously, taking sight for the near- 
est of the ruck. As the smoke lifted, with satisfaction I be-: 
held two victims, one apparently dead, the other making vio- 
lent efforts to get upon his pins; while the remainder of the 
drove were scampering across the prairie at such a pace as 
these animals only are capable of going. As quickly as 
possible I reloaded my gun, and on advancing to bleed my 
victims, the wounded buck got his legs under him, and had 
I not given him the right barrel—a nice clean shot at fifty 
yards tumbling him all of a heap—I should have been left 
with only a single prize. 
After bleeding my trophies, I went after Broomstick, 
who, like all. perverse beasts, had grazed off at as rapid a 
pace as possible, in exactly the reverse direction to that 
wanted. Oh, Broomstick, you provoking brute! was ever 
an unfortunate sportsman so tortured by having to endure 
the vagaries of so ugly and obstinate a steed? Venting 
my indignation on his sparsely-covered ribs, and giving 
him every second stride a reminder that his owner was on 
his back, I hurried back to my quarry, in the hope of mak- 
ing camp at an early hour, and having a good fire before 
my comrades returned. Nor was I too soon, for already a 
coyote had scented blood, and was about to whet his sharp: 
tusks on the results of my labor. With considerable hoist-' 
ing, and not until I had blindfolded my mount, I got both. 
