140 SPORT INDEED 



woods I saw him stop on the burnt land and take his 

 rifle from under his arm (it was still pouring rain). I 

 saw him aim and fire and a deer bound away, while 

 the youth jumped over burnt timber and scrambled 

 through stunted brush. Again I saw him aim and 

 fire, and I saw the deer drop. Now we were in a 

 pickle ; night was coming on fast and the canoes were 

 away off to the right. The rain was splashing down 

 in torrents. There was no time to wait, so we at 

 once opened the deer and took out the " inwards," cut 

 a sapling with our knives, ran it through the " hocks " 

 of the deer, slung it on our shoulders and started for 

 the road. This road is called a " tote-road " by 

 courtesy, and in winter it is much used for hauling 

 supplies on when there is a good depth of snow. 



In summer and fall it is not much used, and there 

 are rocks and roots upon it, and holes in it that would 

 shame the " Slough of Despond." It was now dusk, 

 and soon became pitch dark. And the rain, how it 

 did pour ! We stumbled and slid along over roots 

 and water and mud, swaying from side to side with 

 our unwieldy load, rifle in one hand and the other 

 steadying the pole on our shoulders, every now and 

 then tramping on the deer's head which hung and 

 dragged on the ground. So for the mile and a half 

 we trudged along until the canoes were reached. 



Here we found the guides angry and alarmed at 

 our prolonged absence, and, as they were soaking wet, 



