A CLOSE CALL 145 



that he resolved to live the life of a hunter, and to do 

 it he believed that nothing more was needed than to 

 go into the woods with a rifle and a rubber blanket. 

 This was no theory with him to dream over, but one 

 to act upon. He came alone from his farm, went 

 alone into the woods and very soon stalked a deer 

 which he succeeded in killing. Then his youthful 

 breast beat high with rapture as he saw the noble 

 quarry lying at his feet. But hunger must be ap- 

 peased, and he was hungry, no doubt about that. He 

 dressed the deer, cut a steak, still reeking with animal 

 heat, built a fire, toasted the venison on a stick and 

 greedily ate it. Then spreading his rubber blanket 

 upon the ground and without either a blanket to 

 cover him or a sleeping bag to crawl into he laid him 

 down in the frosty air and slept the sleep of youth 

 and tired-out nature. Next morning he awoke with 

 shivering body and chattering teeth and a burning 

 pain in the intestines. Hanging up his deer in a tree 

 as well as he could, he built a fresh fire and tried to 

 warm his body and dispel the chill which at last gave 

 way to a fever and a splitting headache. The morn- 

 ing passed, noon came, and night, and there he lay. 

 On the morning of the second day, prone upon the 

 ground, with the red squirrels busy about him gather- 

 ing their winter stores, the poor boy lay. Here, sick, 

 far from home, from kindred, from mother's care, or 

 doctor's aid, he was found by a party of lumbermen 



