But these vague and anxious speculations were soon to be discarded for
the immediate interests of the moment. They were getting near to the
ground--after a sufficiently rough journey of close on eight miles; and
now, as they came to the bed of a little burn, Lionel was bidden to
descend from his venerable steed; the saddle was taken off; and old
Maggie was hobbled, and left to occupy herself with the fresh, sweet
grass growing near to the stream.
"Now look here, Roderick," Lionel said, "I'm entirely in your hands, and
mind you don't spare me. Since I'm in for it, I mean to see it through."
"When it is after a stag we are, there is no sparing of any one," said
Roderick, significantly, as he took out his telescope. "And you will
think of this, sir, that if we are crahling along, and come on the deer
without expecting it, and if they see you, then you will lie still like
a stone. Many's the time they will chist stand and look at you, if you
do not move; and then slowly, slowly you will put your head down in the
heather again, and wait till I tell you what to do. But if you go out of
sight quick--ay, so will they."
At first, as it appeared to Lionel, they went forward with a dangerous
fearlessness, the keeper merely using his natural eye-sight to search
the slopes and corries; but presently he began to go more warily; again
and again he paused, to watch the motion of the white rags of cloud
clinging to the hillsides; and occasionally, as they got up into the
higher country, he would lie down with his back on a convenient mound,
cross one knee over the other, and, with this rest for his telescope,
proceed to scrutinize, inch by inch, the vast prospect before him.
Pages:
244
245
246
247
248
249
250
251
252
253
254
255
256
257
258
259
260
261
262
263
264
265
266
267
268