284 THE WAYS OF SPORTSMEN 



to get around and behind his pursuers and let 

 them pass on. Think how inadequate his wit 

 was to cope w^ith the problem — he thought 

 they would pass by him if he went to one side. 



On the morning of the sixth day he had 

 made uj) his mind to travel no farther, but to 

 face his enemies and have it out with them. 



As he heard them approach he rose up from 

 his couch of snow, mane erect, his look fierce 

 and determined. Poor creature, he did not 

 know how unequal the contest was. How I 

 wish he could at that moment have had a Win- 

 chester rifle too, and had known how to use it. 

 There would have been fair play then. 



With such weapons as God had given him 

 he had determined tc> meet the foe, and if they 

 had had only such weapons as God had given 

 them, he would have been safe. But they had 

 weapons which the devil had given them, and 

 their deadly bullets soon cut him down, and 

 now probably his noble antlers decorate the hall 

 of his murderer. 



