318 FACT AGAINST FICTIQN. 



pass over the semblance of a slot or footprint left 

 by a buck or doe. 



One hot, dry day in summer, not long after a 

 shower that had slightly damped the bottom of a 

 deep rut, I saw the single ^' slot" of a deer therein 

 impressed, but, as the surface of the rut had been 

 rebaked hard and dry by the sun, it w^as im- 

 possible for me to tell whether the slot was fresh 

 or stale, the earth around giving no other evidence 

 of the j^assage of a deer. 



Druid knew the impression made by the foot of 

 a deer by sight as well as I did — a fact I had 

 frequently observed — so, kneeling down, I called 

 to him to come to me, and then with my finger 

 pointed to the doubtful spot. 



He recognized the fact of its being a '^ slot " at 

 once, and put his fine, broad nose dow^n to it, and, 

 snuffing at it for a moment or two, gave no 

 indication of having obtained any information. 

 Still he paused rather longer than usual, as if in 

 doubt, during whicli time I watched any symptom 

 of a '' flutter " from his stern. He then raised his 

 rounded and magnificent foot, and, scratching tlie 

 baked clay off tlie slot, so lightly as just to disturb 

 the surface, he put his nose to it again, and then 



