Now when two big stags fraternise, as they frequently do, it usually happens that, when pressed, both animals will finally seek the same exit, even though a shot has already been fired there. I had accordingly instructed the keepers that in the event of my firing, each should discharge his gun in the air, at the same time loosing one dog. The expected shots now rang out, presently followed by a crashing in the brushwood. This proved to be caused by a handful of hinds with, alas! the loose dog baying at their heels. The adverse odds had fallen to zero, till Juan, divining what had occurred, fired again and slipt the other dog. Anxious minutes slowly passed while my two biped sleuth-hounds on the other side gradually, yard by yard, made good their advance; for the wit and wiles, the practised cunning of an old stag when thus cornered, need every scrap of our human skill to out-general, and nothing to spare at that. But that skill was not at fault to-day, and in the thick of the _mancha_, Manuel presently "jumped" the recusant hart from almost beneath his feet, and his view-halloa reached expectant ears. [Illustration] Then, within a few yards of the spot where No. 1 had silently appeared, out bounced No. 2, but in widely different style. In huge bounds, with head and neck horizontal and antlers laid flat aback, he covered the open like a racer. The first shot got in too far back, but the second went right, and the two friends lay not divided in death. Both were _coronados_ (triple-crowned), indeed the second carried four-on-top in double pairs as sketched--a not uncommon formation--but being very old, lacked bez tines. Very nearly five hours had elapsed since we had first struck the spoor, five hours of concentrated attention, crowned by the final assertion of human "dominion." And during these moments of permissible expansion, there was impressed on our minds the fact that such success involves mastery of a difficult craft. [Illustration: "TAKING THE WIND" (A stag, on recognising human scent, will give a bound as though a knife had been plunged into his heart.)] Illustrative of how astutely a cornered stag will exploit every device and avenue of escape, an excellent instance is given in _Wild Spain_, p. 434. Skilled deer-driving is a different undertaking from the _force majeure_ by which pheasants and such-like game may be pushed over a line of guns. For deer do not act on timid impulse, but on practical instinct. Scent is their first safeguard when danger threatens and their natural flight is up-wind. But as it is obviously impossible to place guns to windward, the operation resolves itself into moving the game--dead against its instinct and set inclination--down-wind, or at least on a "half-wind." The latter is easier as an operation, but less effective in result: since the guns must be posted in echelon--otherwise each "gives the wind" to his next neighbour below. Consequently the firing-zone of each is greatly circumscribed.