A hunter's life. 171 



eurred to me that it was a wonder a l)uck had not been 

 on her track, for she was in that peculiar condition when 

 the males will follow them, wherever they find their 

 track. 



So I raised my head to look, and there stood a stout buck 

 within ten steps, staring at myself and the dog, as I was 

 sitting at my work, and the dog licking up the blood and 

 eating the small pieces which fell to his share. I dared 

 not rise to get my gun, which was standing against a tree, 

 out of my reach ; but I began to creep towards it, all 

 ilie time being afraid to look at the deer, lest a sight 

 of my face should scare him, for I knew it was not 

 pretty. 



When I had secured my gun, I looked around, and sav 

 liim walking off, and as I did not wish to spoil his saddle, 

 1 delayed shooting until I could get his side toward me ; 

 but all of a sudden he stopped, turned round, and came 

 walking back to look for the doe, stopping at the same 

 place where I first saw him. That moment I pulled my 

 trigger, and the ball, striking in the middle of the breast, 

 killed him at once. He never attempted to jump, but 

 reared up so high, that he fell flat on his back. I skinned 

 him, put him on the same pole with the other, and then 

 started off for the camp. 



When I arrived there, all hands seemed astonished at 

 my good luck ; but James disputed the fact, saying that 

 I had been there the week previous, and had hid those 

 skins in the woods. But a Mr. Frazee, who had hunted 

 with me all the previous week, during which time I had 

 killed some eight or ten deer, told James that my boys 

 and his had come out the last of the week with horses, and 

 carried in all the meat both of us had killed, together with 

 the skins ; and thus satisfied him that there was no foul 

 play in the matter. I told James that I could kill a deer 

 ye{ that night. He was anxious to take another bet, and 



