OF 'A RANCHMAN 283 



into the bosom of the hunting-shirt or the 

 pocket, or in fact anywhere; and for keep- 

 in- up a man's strength there is nothing that 

 comes up to it. 



After lunch we hunted until the shadows 

 began to lengthen out, when we went back 

 to our horses. The buck was packed behind 

 good old Manitou, who can carry any 

 amount of weight at a smart pace, and does 

 not care at all if a strap breaks and he finds 

 his load dangling about his feet, an event 

 that reduces most horses to a state of fran- 

 tic terror. As soon as loaded we rode down 

 the valley into which the doe had disappeared 

 in the morning, one taking each side and 

 looking into every possible lurking place. 

 The odds were all against our finding any 

 trace of her; but a hunter soon learns that 

 he must take advantage of every chance, 

 however slight. This time we were rewarded 

 for our care; for after riding about a mile 

 our attention was attracted by a white patch 

 in a clump of low briars. On getting off 

 in it proved to be the white rump 



