AN EXCITING CHASE. 109 



forest, and coming towards us ; every bound he 

 spoke, till the echoes and his voice were blended 

 in one prolonged, deep, musical, note. My pulsa- 

 tion increased as the music approached, my whole 

 nervous system was in a state of extreme tension ; 

 even clasping my gun, setting my teeth, only gave me 

 temporary relief, and never from that day to this has 

 my excitement been so intense. "Look! look ! " said 

 the Indian, and, following the direction of his hand, I 

 saw a splendid doe breasting the water and heading 

 for the middle of the lake. Like all green hands, my 

 first prompting was to start in pursuit ; but my more 

 wily friend put a veto on that proposition, begging me 

 to restrain my impatience till the quarry got well out 

 from land. Long very long appeared the next few 

 moments. But it was evident I was not boss* only a 

 deck hand of very ordinary acquirements. Kemon- 

 strance was, therefore, out of the question ; so, sub- 

 mission, with the best possible grace, was adopted. 

 By this time the doe had got nearly a quarter of a mile 

 out for few animals swim so fast as deer when the 

 signal was given to commence the chase. Never did 

 oarsman more energetically pull never did race-horse 

 more gallantly struggle ; every thew, every muscle 

 was brought into play, and what I lacked in skill was 

 made up in vim. It, however, took all the dusky gen- 

 tleman's skill to keep the craft's head straight. For 

 many minutes we did not appear to have gained 

 an inch; the perspiration ran down my face, and 

 even lodged in my eyes ; but there was no time for 

 rest, no desire for respite ; each succeeding stroke 



* American for "master.'' 



