156 EARLY DAY STORIES. 



trees of good size. This indicated water — I would go and 

 see. There was no water — only the bed of a dried up pool. 

 While exploring around among the cottonwood trees I ■ saw 

 two or three deer about half a mile further down the valley, 

 and looking through the field glass distinctly saw ten or 

 twelve, nearly all lying down, one of them being a large 

 buck with big horns. I wanted those horns. Before going 

 on the trip I had promised to my friends two deers' heads, 

 provided they could be had, which was not very probable. 

 The approach was not difficult, the bottom of the ravine 

 affording good cover. When within a dozen rods of the 

 deer an old doe stepped out in plain sight; it was an easy 

 mark, but she was not wanted. Luckily I was lying flat 

 on the ground and was not seen. Presently she stepped 

 back out of sight, and I continued to crawl along until a 

 big rock about four feet high was reached. I knew the 

 deer were very close, and that I would be seen as soon as I 

 stood up. Such a time, as everyone knows who has hunted 

 big game, is a very interesting moment. It was worth the 

 whole trip just to have one such chance as this, and such 

 a chance does not often come, even to those who make hunt- 

 ing a business. I had debated in my mind while hidden in 

 the bed of the dry creek whether to remain there until the 

 deer got up to feed, or to try to crawl to the rock. I de- 

 cided to go to the rock, and now I knew that as soon as 

 the deer discovered me they would be off in an instant and 

 probably a running shot would have to be taken with the 

 risk of missing. Making ready to fire, the rifle at my 

 shoulder and finger on the trigger, I slowly raised my head. 

 The old buck was the first deer seen, not more than twenty 

 steps away, only his head and neck visible, and looking my 

 way. He never moved, probably not just knowing what it 

 was. I made a quick shot at his head and he dropped, the 

 others running off and before I hardly knew what I was 

 doing I fired again, bringing down another deer. They ran 



