A CURIOUS PRECAUTION. 245 



" Now, young fellurs," said he, " d'yer see that bunch 

 o' rotten wood ? I calc'late no deer '11 pass atween it 

 an' me 'ithout old Plumcentre hevin' a word to say to 

 him. When the crittur gets atween me an' that shinin' 

 stuff he'll hide it, and at that I pulls the trigger." 



The use of this precaution, which elicited the admira- 

 tion of Pierre and Gaultier, was rendered necessary, as 

 gradually a thick darkness settled down among the tree 

 trunks, and all objects were enveloped in the gloom. 



" I don't expect to see more'n a cupple o' deer or so, 

 arter all, until the moon rises," said Jake; "but I 

 reckin' the trouble o' stickin' up that bit o' shinin' stuff 

 ain't much, an' it mout git us a shot or two." 



Pierre and Gaultier were of course aware that the 

 moon exerts an influence on the deer, which graze while 

 it shines, and couch when it sets. They kept their eyes 

 and ears on the alert, although the impervious gloom 

 rendered the former of little use. Nestled in their am- 

 bush, the hunters waited for a considerable time, with 

 their eyes fixed upon the phosphorescent gleam of the 

 decayed wood, in expectation of game; but in vain. 

 Not a sound disturbed the quiet of the forest save the 

 sigh of the passing breeze. An hour passed, and then 

 another hour, without a sign of life in that vast wilder- 

 ness. The air was warm and balmy, and the lairs 

 which the hunters had made were soft and comfortable. 

 An irrepressible drowsiness overpowered them, and 

 despite their efforts to resist it, they at length suc- 

 cumbed to its influence, and sank into a profound repose. 



