36 CAMP-FIRES OF A NATURALIST. 



they got disgusted and moved slowly off into the 

 woods. Harvey and Dyche rushed down to the spot 

 and breathlessly asked : 



"Why in thunder didn't you shoot at those deer?" 



"What deer?" 



" What deer ! Well, I want to know ! Didn't you 

 see them two deer at the edge of the brush?" 



" I didn't see any deer." 



" Well, I want to know ! I guess you had it bad. 

 They looked you right in the face and waited for you 

 to shoot. You'll never get another such chance." 



The alleged deer-slayer was the target for so many 

 jokes about the affair that he never again mentioned 

 his hunting qualifications. 



Dyche now concluded to extend his field of opera- 

 tions, as he had hunted thoroughly over the ground 

 in the vicinity of the ranch. With this end in 

 view he went about four miles over the mountain 

 into another natural park. Mexicans had built a 

 slight inclosure and kept their animals during the 

 summer up in the park. There were at the time 

 about a dozen horses and mules in the inclosure. The 

 Mexicans rarely visited the place, and it was as wild 

 as any part of the country. While following the 

 fresh trail of a deer, Dyche suddenly came upon an 

 animal standing in the brush. After a long exam- 

 ination he thought that it was a mule. Going a little 

 closer he made another examination and was almost 

 sure it was a mule. He walked slowly nearer and 

 could see part of the side and one leg. He was now 

 very sure it was a mule and walked boldly forward 

 to within thirty yards of the animal, which suddenly 



