FOREST LIFE PLAY. 27 



rifle in hand, for deer, who fed 'quietly on the borders 

 of the winding stream, were now their game. Each one 

 who failed to bring down his game, was to give place to 

 some one else to try his hand, and so on throughout 

 their number, till they had secured a deer. 



As they stole noiselessly along the ins and outs of the 

 crooked river, a deer was suddenly seen to start from 

 among the reeds, and go dashing and snorting across the 

 shallow water, almost close to the head of the boat. 

 Bang, went one gun after him, sending him at rather a 

 brisker pace up hill among the brushwood. Crack went 

 number two : the only effect being to make him take ra- 

 ther longer jumps as he bounded, snorting with terror, 

 into the woods, leaving his pursuers gaping and staring 

 after him : he had evidently the best of it. 



The first boat being discomfitted, now gave way to the 

 second, which speedily came in sight of another deer, 

 daintily cropping lilies on the river side. Paddling 

 noiselessly to within a few rods of him, long and anx- 

 iously did the sportsman take aim, but before he could 

 draw the trigger, the deer looked up nervously, lowered 

 his long ears, and after one second's disgusted gaze at 

 his enemy, made for the shore at the top of his speed. 

 Ping, went a rifle bullet after him, but at random, and 

 the usual result of a random shot ensued ; the deer was 

 none the worse, only stimulated by the report into a 

 more railway pace up the bank, where he disappeared 

 among the brushwood. All this was very bad. Two 

 deer, three shots, and venison as far off as ever. 



It was now the third sportsman's turn. Gliding 

 quietly along till the boat was within fifteen rods of a 



