32 WILD SPORTS IN THE SOUTH. 



I was just wondering at this absence of deer, and could not 

 account for it, as it was a rare thing to go a mile in Florida without 

 seeing one. 



" Where ? " I whispered ; " I don't see it." 



"Hush! it has gone now; but we will see it in a moment 

 again." 



We advanced on tiptoe, both in body and expectation. 



" There ! there ! " said the Doctor, pointing with his finger a 

 little distance to the left ; but the luminous spot was gone before 

 I hardly got my eye on it. 



We were in the very place for deer. A heavy windfall lay 

 ahead of us, and the mingled trunks and twisted branches looked 

 like the chevaux defrise to some great encampment. The flicker- 

 ing light made the shadows move back and forth with a spectral 

 effect, as though dancing, and the hush of the forest was unbroken 

 by any sound. Every moment, I expected to see again the two 

 phosphorescent stars that indicate the deer's eyes, and then the 

 true shot would bring us the prize for our labour. It seemed a 

 long time in coming again. 



" That deer must be very shy," whispered the Doctor, just above 

 his breath. 



The next time, I saw it first. It was some distance ahead, and 

 there were two ; but before I could point them out to my comrade, 

 they had disappeared. Presently, we saw it on one side of us. 



"Charlie, that's a will-o'-the-wisp," said Poke, in rather a 

 subdued tone, "or the devil; who ever heard of a deer going 

 around so ? " 



" He is examining you to see what manner of man you are." 



" Perchance it is some spirit of a departed buck, leading us a 

 wild chase to destroy us." 



" There it is, right behind me, as I live ! " ejaculated the 

 Doctor, in evident trepidation. 



Sure enough, as I turned my head, I saw the two blue lights 

 that indicate the reflecting lenses of the eye. The Doctor was 

 taking aim, but I noticed it was not very steady. He pulled the 

 trigger — a dull snap announced a miss-fire. He pulled the other 

 trigger — it snapped in the same way. The gun was wet with rain. 



