358 FORTY-FOUR YEARS OF 



He said that if he missed he would pay me the price of 

 a buck. 



I replied that it was not the price I wanted, but the 

 buck. 



I then seized his gun, and told him to sit down, for he 

 was trembling so much that he would shake the acorns off 

 a tree if he were sitting in one. 



He sat down, laughing, and said that I might take my 

 own way. 



By this time the two bucks were within range, and still 

 approaching. My son insisted that I should then fire ; but 

 as I was determined to make sure work, I let them come 

 on until they were within thirty steps, when they both 

 stopped to examine whether any danger was near. Bang 

 went my gun, or rather my son's gun, in my hands, and 

 the big buck dropped on the spot. My son loaded the 

 gun again, and ran after the smaller one ; but it made its 

 escape. 



While the young man was gone after the little buck, I 

 went to the large one, and found that he was so badly 

 wounded he could not rise to his feet. He became furious 

 as I approached him ; and, although his horns were soft, 

 and covered with what is called velvet, he seemed willing, 

 if he could, to put them to any use by which they could 

 do him service. But the poor fellow was deprived of all 

 power to do anything in his own defence, and left to abide 

 his fate ; which occasioned me little pleasure, but rather 

 aroused in me a feeling of pity for him. 



Thus was the last deer killed ; and in all probabih'ty, it 

 was the last I ever shall kill ; although I have since 

 watched licks, and tried many times to kill another. Yet 

 it is not impossible that I may some day kill one, though 

 it seems very unlikely. 



On account of the scarcity of game, my hunting was 



