three times Newell saw him plainly, but 

 with his old gun, whose lock he must protect 

 from the snow, he was not quick enough for 

 a shot ; and still the game held on, and at 

 every turn laid some new snarl or puzzle 

 for the old Indian's eyes to unravel. Late in 

 the afternoon the trail turned abruptly from 

 the ridge, which it had been following for 

 miles, and headed straight and swift for a 

 cedar swamp. 



There were plenty of deer here. The 

 spring hunger had driven them out of their 

 yards ; and in the early morning or late 

 afternoon, when the crust hardened enough 

 to bear their weight, they could get at the 

 cedar boughs, which till then had been too 

 high to reach. So long as they spread their 

 legs or went softly, the crust would bear 

 them up ; but at the first heavy plunge they 

 sank through to their shoulders, and were 

 almost helpless. 



Half-way through the swamp the hunted 

 fisher winded a large deer and leaped straight 

 at him. The tracks showed that it was not 

 his usual crafty hunting, but a straight, swift 



ft 



249 



ZheTraf/offfie 

 Cunning One 



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