142 ON THE PEONTIEE. 



great blaze, and turned my back to it to get a good 

 warm. 



I looked for my companion his blankets were empty ; 

 I glanced towards the arms his rifle and belt were gone ; 

 I felt his blankets they were cold. He had consequently 

 been gone some time. 



I made a cast round, and struck his fresh tracks going 

 in the direction of our last day's tramp. He had "gone 

 for " the big buck. For my part, I was too tired to stir 

 that day. Though then as hard as nails, and in first-rate 

 condition and training, I was thoroughly done up and 

 quite stiff " played out " with the previous day's wetting 

 and walking so remained in camp, and spent the time in 

 helping to make the plum-pudding, dress and stuff the 

 turkeys, and in resting principally in resting. 



Night came, but not my comrade. I was not exactly 

 uneasy about him, for he was a first-rate hunter and 

 mountaineer ; but many are the unexpected accidents that 

 may happen to a lone wanderer in the wilderness. 



I piled wood on the fire, and sat waiting for him until 

 near midnight. Then I began to think I was foolish to 

 do so, and had better go to sleep. Just as I was turning 

 in the dogs jumped up and ran out, frisking and capering, 

 into the darkness. I heard the whistle of my comrade, 

 and he strode into the light of the camp-fire. On his 

 back, in a sling extemporised out of the skin of the deer, 

 were the hind-quarters of the big buck. It was not yet 

 twelve, and though a close shave on being Christmas-day, 

 our bill of fare was filled. Some more flowing bowl. 



At breakfast the following day my companion narrated 



