THE TRAIL OF THE SANDHILL STAG 



thought, " Now I know why a deer's 

 nose is always moist, for he must 

 always watch the wind." He 

 showed Yan how much may be 

 gained at times by patient waiting, 

 and that it is better to tread like an 

 Indian with foot set straight, for 

 thereby one gains an inch or two at 

 each stride and can come back in 

 one's own track through deep snow. 

 And he also unwittingly taught him 

 that an Indian cannot shoot with a 

 rifle, and Natty Bumpo's adage came 

 to mind, "A white man can shoot 

 with a gun, but it ain't accordin' to 

 an Injun's gifts/' 



Sometimes they went out together 

 and sometimes singly. One day, 



while out alone, Yan had followed 

 50 



s) 



