A hunter's life. 243 



the back wheeled, came running back, and fell nearer to 

 me than he was when I shot him. I loaded again, and 

 started toward my deer, when out came another fine big 

 fellow, which ran up nearly to the same place where the 

 first one stood, and there stopped also, when I fired 

 again, and down he came. " Well," thought I, "this is 

 certainly the best kind of luck indeed." 



I laid my gun on my shoulder, and walked on again, 

 when up jumped another very large buck, which ran up to 

 the same place, and there stopped, as the other two had 

 done. But this time I had an empty gun ; and before I 

 could load it, he ran off, 



I then dressed the two I had killed, hung them up high, 

 and pursued my course for the Little Crossings. I hunted 

 all day, and saw but four deer, of which I killed three ; and 

 if I had promptly loaded after my second fire, and had 

 been ready for the last fellow, I would have killed the 

 whole four. But at first I thought there was but one, and 

 by chance loaded before I moved from the place ; and then 

 when the second came out, I was sure that was all, and did 

 not load as before, or I would surely have had them all. 



I pushed on, and got to my desired ground, where 1 

 found a small bear eating hickory-nuts. The dog put him 

 up a tree, and the little fellow was shot without any chance 

 of defence. 



By this time I was tired, and it was nearly night. I 

 found two old trees lying across each other ; and, seeing 

 no chance of better accommodations, I peeled bark off 

 them to lay over me, made a fire, and sat down to rest. 

 While sitting thus, I heard a wolf howl ; but as that was 

 a common occurrence, I took no notice of him, especially 

 as he vas far off. When it became dark, I set my buck's 

 ribs before the fire to roast ; and when they were ready, I 

 made a hearty supper, not having eaten anything since 

 daylight. I then laid down to sleep ; but late in the night 



