78 WILD SPORTS IN THE SOUTH. 



looked at me with an expression of pity ; " wall, now, ef I had a 

 young 'un, and he couldn't tell that he was a scandalous big buck, 

 walking alone slowly like out to the feedin' grounds, ef I wouldn't 

 claw his back with a wildcat, I would. Now, jist look a here, 

 there 's one track by the lance leaf." 



" Yes." 



" Here 's the t'other on the same side, and here 's the t'other, 

 and here 's the t'other. Wall, that shows he 's a walkin', don't it ? " 



"Ye-e-s." 



" Thar he 's nibbled off that young tree, hain't he ? " 



A small birch sprout, of about a foot in height, was stripped of 

 its leaves and bark. 



" Ye-e-s." 



" Wall, that shows he was feedin' slowly, and warn't the least- 

 wise anxious, and by the way the tracks pint I calkerlate he 's off 

 for the meadows." 



u Well, but how do you know it was not a doe ? " 



" 'Cause he writ it up on that pine-tree on ahead, where the 

 tracks are thick at the bottom. Now look on the bark about six 

 feet up, and tell me what rubbed that bark off ef it warn't that 

 buck's horns — and you better believe it was a whopper ; no small 

 buck kin scratch up thar." 



I thought a moment, and then the only wonder to me seemed 

 why it needed an explanation at all, it was so clear. 



" Whare has he gone ? Thare 's a meadow across here chock 

 full of sweet grass and lily pads, and I reckon he 's thar, and 

 slathers more." 



A few minutes' walk, and we came on to the verge of a natural 

 meadow, bounded on every side by the forest, and yet smooth and 

 waving as a field of grain or a level prairie. Here and there 

 a water-oak reared itself from the grass, twisting its great limbs 

 on every side, shading the sward below, and supporting wreaths 

 of mistletoe vines covered with waxen berries. But all else was 

 one free rustling field, grazed by the deer alone, and mowed only 

 by the winter fires or the hurricane. Over the grass could be seen 

 the marsh hawk wheeling along the level in long slanting curves, 

 while in the distance, where a tall tree leaned over the eddies 



