68 



NOTES OF THE HUNT. 



tongue, and started due north over the high hills. The music grew 

 fainter and fainter, until only now and then a high note came to us, 

 and only Tom's experienced ear could tell that it was the hound. 

 Arriving at the lake, we paddled across to an island where we could 

 get a grand view of several bays, and be in an easy position to get 

 between a deer and the shore, should one come in. We waited an 

 hour, heard nothing more of the dogs, and saw nothing. The 

 breeze blowing cold, right into our teeth, we concluded to go ashore 

 on the island and build a fire. We waited another hour, making 

 ourselves quite comfortable, expecting nothing to-day : when I 

 looked up and saw a splendid great buck come out of the woods 

 into a beaver meadow of nigh grass and bushes. There were no 

 dogs after him, and he walked about leisurely, now looking out on 

 the lake, as though wondering if it were best to cross; then pre- 

 senting his fine form broadside to us, and finally walked back a few 

 yards from the shore, and stood quiet. In the meantime we stood 

 still as trees, until Tom said ; 



" Now crawl into the canoe, and don't make a noise. Take your 

 rifle, and let me paddle alone." 



In less time than I can tell you, our birch bark was gliding 

 along on the water as gracefully and quietly as a swan. We got 

 under the shore, and worked our way along to the point where we 

 had seen the deer, going slower and slower. I had my rifle cocked 

 and in position as we rounded the point, where among the bushes I 

 could just see the fine antlers. Not daring to speak, or even to 

 whisper, Tom gave me a punch in the back, and pointed. He 

 paddled along, without a bit of noise, to a f;ood position and 

 stopped. I knew it to mean to fire. I never try to know more than 

 my man, so I let drive. 'There goes a shot on Cooper's Lake,' I'm 

 sure was said in a half dozen places, as the report went bounding 

 along from hill to hill, and lake to lake. Then, soon, ' there's 

 another — and another,' as though some greenhorn were firing a 

 feu-dc-joie. Old buck gave a bound about ten feet into the tall 

 grass, and his horns showed up so I could just see them again from 

 the canoe. I fired again, but he did not move. Then Tom gave 

 him a shot, as though he would give him to understand that there 

 was a punishment hereafter, and when he did not stir, said, ' Yott 

 killed him the first shot,' as Willie would say about poor Mrs. 

 .kiorton, ' as dead as a door nail ! ' 



