EARLY DAY STORIES. 227 



fell short. The second deer bounded away, but I felt sure 

 it would soon stop for its mate, and I waited, as the dis- 

 tance was too far to risk a running shot. It did stop, and 

 turned broadside to look back. Aiming at the very upper 

 tip of the shoulders I fired and the deer fell, but recovering 

 it hobbled over the ridge out of sight. It was well that the 

 aim was high, for the ball fell so that it broke both fore legs 

 above the knees. Deede soon found and gave it a final shot 

 while I dressed the first deer. These deer were both young, 

 probably a year old the previous spring, and were in fine 

 condition. Bringing up the team we made camp here for 

 the remainder of the day and the following night. 



After taking care of the team and eating dinner we 

 went northwest into the hills looking for a place for a per- 

 manent camp. We had gone probably two miles and were 

 traveling across a sand hill valley that was perhaps forty 

 rods wide, bounded by ridges on either side, when we saw 

 two white tail deer coming down the valley and not more 

 than a quarter of a mile away. The grass was high afford- 

 ing a good screen and dropping on hands and knees we made 

 for a little knoll that was four or five feet high behind which 

 we lay and waited for the deer. It was always understood 

 that when two were hunting together the one on the right 

 should shoot at the right hand deer, and the one on the left 

 should take the left hand one at the count of three. When 

 the count was made the two deer were nearly opposite each 

 other, the right hand one having its head down feeding. 

 We both fired, my shot going through the shoulders and 

 lungs of the deer aimed at, and Deede's shot breaking the 

 neck of his deer, and going on it passed through the heart 

 of the second deer, lodging in the skin on the further side 

 of the body. If my gun had missed fire, Deede's shot would 

 have killed both deer. These two deer were both white tail 

 does, one large, and the other a yearling. 



