98 A FOOL OF A DEER. 



landed in front -of qur tents, Spaldiug and Martin lifted 

 from it a fine two year old deer, shot directly between the 

 eyes. 



"There," said Spalding, "is the biggest, or what was 

 the biggest fool of a deer in these woods. Do you believe 

 that he stood perfectly still, gazing in stupid astonishment 

 at our light, until we were within a dozen feet of him, when 

 I dropped him with that ball between the eyes ?" 



" No," replied Smith, " I really don't believe any such 

 thing." 



"It is true, notwithstanding your lack of faith," said 

 Spalding. 



" Do you say that as counsel, or as a gentleman ?" 

 inquired Smith. 



" Look you, Mr. Smith," said Spalding, " you are draw- 

 ing" a distinction not warranted by the authority of the 

 books as if a lawyer could not tell the truth like a gentle- 

 man. I say it as both." 



" Very well," remarked Smith, "then I must believe it, 

 of course. But understand, Hank Martin, it will be my 

 turn to-morrow night." And so the matter was settled 

 that the next night hunting was to be done by Smith. 



" H ," said the Doctor, as I was stealing quietly out 



of the tent, in the twilight of the next morning, so as not 

 to awaken my companions, " where now ?" 



" I'm going to take some trout for breakfast, with our 

 venison," I replied. 



" And where do you propose to take them ?" he inquired 



