THE STILL HUNT. 77 



with his eye everything in the forest. At times, he would pick up 

 a leaf here and there, giving it a glance, and cast it down again. 

 Where the river bent, and we came where we could see around the 

 elbow, his walk was slow, and his foot came down like a cat's ; 

 when he was in the hollow he ran, and almost halted as he rose 

 the succeeding knoll, and could take a view beyond. 



As we walked, he pointed to a place in the sod, looking at me 

 with that communicative glance that said, " There is something 

 pleasant." On looking carefully, I could just see a mark where 

 the grass was thin, but a mark it was, and nothing more ; it might 

 be a natural discoloration, or the result of one of the thousand 

 motions constantly occurring in a forest. 



" What is it ? " I asked. 



Mike picked up a broad leaf, one of those growing in a dank 

 place, and handed it to me. The leaf was cut almost in the shape 

 of the letter V. 



" What does that mean — a deer's track ? " 



Mike nodded. 



" How long ago was that track made ? " 



" Two minutes — 'bout." 



My looks must have expressed doubt, for Mike replied : " Look 

 here, now, leaves don't tell lies in the piney woods, though I 've 

 heern tell they do in books. D' ye see that juice comin' out of 

 that leaf thar jist whar the deer's huff cut it ? " 



" Well ? " 



" D' yer think them air leetle drops has been more 'an a week 

 formin' when they're growin' bigger as ye look, and haint run 

 together yet ? Tear another leaf, don't it come jist as fast ? Ain't 

 that as plain as a bar up a gum-tree ? He 's a sockdologer of a 

 buck, too ! " 



" Now, Mike, look here. I will believe what you say about the 

 time, but don't say what you don't know. You can have every- 

 thing your own way here, but there is no means in the world of 

 telling this deer to have been a buck, so you need not say so till 

 we see it." 



" Wall, now," said Mike, setting down the breech of his heavy 

 rifle on the ground, and leaning his chin on the muzzle, while he 



