96 PRAIRIE AND FOREST. 



the result of luck than good guiding, if charged with buck- 

 shot. 



After waiting for nearly a quarter of an hour I was 

 joined by my friend, who at once inquired what I had shot 

 at; but when I told him the distance, he only laughed one 

 of those peculiar, little dry laughs which, as plainly as 

 words, said, "You're a fool if you expect to eat any of 

 that carcase." Nevertheless, we together inspected the 

 track, and I had not even the gratification to find blood. 

 Well, Will was for giving it up, but I wished to follow it 

 out ; so after using all his powers of persuasion and argu- 

 ment in favour of his views, he succumbed, and consented 

 for once to be dictated to. 



For over a mile we followed our game. The line was 

 straight and the track distinct : moreover, the gait was 

 steady, if one could judge from the regularity of the 

 impressions ; and there was nought to indicate that we 

 might not with as great propriety follow any animal in 

 these bottom lands at which a shot had never been fired. 

 Will was going ahead, leading, and your humble servant 

 bringing up the rear, when the former suddenly halted and 

 turned round. From the expression of his face I knew 

 something was up, but was scarcely prepared for the 

 information he gave. " Look here," said he : " you have 

 hit that deer, Cap., tolerably badly, and I suspect we shall 

 get him yet ; his fore-leg is disabled, and he can't travel 

 far without our overhauling him." On inquiring how he 

 gained his information, he pointed to the tracks ; and sure 

 enough the off fore foot, instead of making a clean impres- 

 sion, cut the snow for nearly a foot whenever raised off the 



