

That was far back on the ridges, where 

 most of the big bucks loaf and hide, each 

 one by himself, during the summer. Down 

 at the lake, however, there were two or three 

 that for some reason occasionally showed 

 themselves with the other deer, but were so 

 shy and wild that hunting them without a gun 

 was almost impossible. It was one of these 

 big fellows that now stood half hid in the 

 underbrush within twenty yards of me, watch- 

 ing the deer's game impatiently. 



A stamp of his foot and a low snort stopped 

 the play instantly, and the big buck moved / 

 out on the shore in full view. He looked \ 

 out over the lake, where he had so often seen K 

 the canoes of men moving; his nose tried () ( 

 the wind up shore ; eyes and ears searched 

 below, where I was lying; then 

 scanned the lake again keenly. 

 Perhaps he had seen my canoe 

 upturned among the water-grasses 

 far aw r ay; more probably it was 

 the unknown sense or feel of an 

 enemy, which they who hunt with 

 or without a gun find so often 



