25S THE SPORTSMAN'S PARADISE; 



when he had first discovered her in the lake, which was 

 only a few moments after she broke cover. He, too, 

 remained inactive for a while, for the same reasons that 

 had prompted us to this course, particularly because the 

 animal was so near to the shore that she could easily put 

 herself, with little loss of time, on dry land. He finally 

 tired of this inactivity and started energetically forward in 

 the chase. Both "Tom" and myself had been carefully 

 watching him, and consequently recognized the first stroke 

 which he made with his paddle. The scene was now very 

 interesting and highly picturesque ; the old doe was likely 

 to be surprised ; she was still looking for an enemy to 

 appear from the lower part of the lake, having already 

 scented us, while the captain was coming down on her 

 from the head of the same waters. Behold the enemy ! 

 There they come. The boy sits motionless in the bow of 

 the canoe ; his right hand rests gently on the breech of his 

 gun; the captain is near the stern of the frail bark; his 

 strong arms work vigorously and noiselessly the paddle. 

 The little vessel moves rapidly forward in a straight line, 

 but its movements are noiseless although the water fairly 

 boils about its bow and stern. They are now within five 

 hundred yards of the prize ; the deer is still swimming 

 towards them ; at this moment " Tom" placed his paddle 

 in the water and entered the race. A few minutes later 

 she discovered the captain's canoe bearing down upon her, 

 and promptly turned around in the water and commenced 

 a desperate effort to reach the run-way by which she en- 

 tered the lake. Behold her frantic efforts ! She is mad- 

 dened by the appearance of an unexpected enemy ; she 



