nce of cruelty as possible in work of this kind."

"Arrah! there's wan that'll chate 'im, anyhow," cried Bryan, throwing
forward his gun in nervous haste, as one of the deer gained the land,
despite Chacooto's rapidity, and bounded towards the hills.

Frank smiled at the eager haste of his companion, who was one of the
poor shots of the party, and, consequently, always in a hurry. "Now,
Bryan, there's a chance. Take your time. Just behind the shoulder; a
little low, for that gun kicks horribly."

"Murder and blazes, she won't go off!" cried the exasperated Irishman,
as, after a wavering effort to take aim, he essayed unsuccessfully to
pull the trigger.

"Half-cock, man! Cock it!" said Frank quickly.

"So 'tis, be the mortial! Och, Bryan, yer too cliver, ye are!" he
exclaimed, rectifying his error with a force that nearly tore off the
dog-head. At that instant there was a sharp crack, and the deer,
bounding into the air, fell dead on the sand at the edge of the willows.

"Forgive me, Bryan," said Massan, chuckling and reloading his piece as
he walked up to his comrade. "I would not ha' taken't out o' yer teeth,
lad, if ye had been ready; but one bound more would ha' put the beast
beyond the reach o' a bullet."

"Faix, Massan, ye desarve to be hanged for murther. Shure I was waitin'
till the poor crayture got into the bushes, to give it a chance o' its
life, before I fired. That's the way that gintlemen from the ould
country does when we're out sportin'. We always put up the birds first,
and fire afterwards; but you salvages murther a poor brute on the sand,
whin it's only two fathoms from ye. Shame on ye, Massan."

"See, Massan," cried Frank, pointing to another deer, which, having
escaped its pursuers, had gained the heights above. "That fellow is
beyond us both, I fear. Be ready when it comes into view beyond the
cliff there."

But Massan did not move; and when Frank threw forward his gun, he felt
his arm arrested.

"Pardon me, monsieur," said Massan respectfully; "there's a sure bullet
about to start for that deer."

As he spoke, he pointed to Dick Prince, who, ignorant of the fact that
the deer had been seen by Frank, was watching its reappearance from
behind a neighbouring rock, at some distance from where they stood. In
a second it came into view--the bullet sped--and the deer bounded
lightly into the bushes, evidently unhurt!

It is difficult to say whether Dick Prince or his comrades e