THE STILL HUNT. 127 



the head at the first joint, and then pulled the fore 

 shoulders directly out of the skin, which, with the hind 

 quarters, was left hanging by the horns. When the 

 body of the deer was skinned as far down as the loins, 

 it was cut off there and thrown aside, while the hind- 

 quarters were neatly rolled in the skin with the branch- 

 ing horns, and hung on a sapling to await the time of 

 our return at night. 



Our original plan had been to drive the deer from off 

 the meadows with the dog, we standing at the run- 

 ways, thus getting very fair shots on the open plain, but 

 by reason of the advanced hour of the day it seemed 

 doubtful if this plan would succeed; however, we 

 resolved to try it. Therefore we selected two paths, 

 apparently much frequented by the deer, and in some 

 places worn into channels, and sent Yowler off to hunt. 

 The old dog seemed to know his duty well, for he hied 

 away with a look at his master, and we could occasion- 

 ally see him, where the grass was thin, making long casts, 

 and occasionally his mellow voice would be borne in faint 

 from the distance. 



Mike was standing not far away, and looking across the 

 grass I could see him leaning against a tree surveying 

 the scene befpre us. Afar down in the horizon I saw a 

 gang of deer headed by two bucks going out of the 

 meadow by some other path on a long lope ; I pointed 

 them out with my arm, and a nod from Mike showed me 

 he saw the game and understood my gesture. There go 

 two herons, blue and grey, flapping up from the grass, 



