A SHOT AT A BEER. " TT's MTGTITY QUEER." 99 



after all valiant and dang-erous, leisurely turned to depart. 

 At that instant Halsey pulled the trigaer and the old muz- 

 zle-loader roared and vollej-ed like a round half dozen 

 thunder-bolts. There was a great splashing and dashing of 

 water for a moment. We thought the lively animal was 

 down and that all we now li:ul to do was to advance in 

 good ortler and pick up our game. But as the smoke 

 lifted we saw, to our dismay, the creature spring ashore 

 with two or three vigorous bounds and disappear. Scarcelj'' 

 had we realized what had occurred, when, a few rods 

 above, this deer or another ran across the stream to the op- 

 posite shore and plunged into the thicket. 



" Great guns!" said I, "Halsey, is this country' full of 

 deer? " 



"Well, I can't say about that," replied he, "but I do 

 think what there are of 'em are about the li^'eliest fellows I 

 ever did see! Ju.st think of it, now! This old gun was 

 loaded with buck-shot to kill. That chap must have got 

 some of "em under his skin. I wouldn't have given ten 

 cents to be insured on him — I'd 'ave bet my last dollar that 

 he was mine. And to think that in less than a minute he 

 or another fellow hove in sight! It's mighty queer." And 

 the guide relapsed into a mournful, meditative silence. 



Chris, now approached and insisted that he had plainl}^ 

 seen /the buck-shot strike tlie water, falling short of the aim, 

 and that these caused the splashing and not the deer. How- 

 ever, both guides went ashore and searched for l)lood, but 

 it was now growing dark and if there were such traces they 

 were unable to discover them. 



