146 AMERICAN GAME BIRD SHOOTING. 
we became alarmed about him. A hasty consultation was 
then held, and it was decided to go in search of him, as 
it was evident that he was lost. We were exceedingly 
anxious about him, as we feared he had met with some 
mishap, for we well knew how numerous the wolves, 
cougars, and bears were, and how little the cougars 
thought of attacking a man if they were hungry. Light- 
ing a jack-lamp, we seized our rifles, started into the 
inky forest, and commenced shouting as we went along. 
In the course of half an hour, perhaps, we received an 
answering call, and a few minutes later we were shaking 
hands with the vagrant punster. 
“‘Were you lost?” asked the doctor. 
“Lost! Iwas lost a million times. Why TI couldn’t 
tell where on earth I was, and I could not get out of a 
narrow circle in which I was travelling. I came back to 
an old worm-eaten log every time I started away from it, 
although I tried to change my course each time, but it 
was no use, so I thought my doom would be to inspect 
that log for the remainder of my days.” 
“This is no doubt a judgment on you for punning,” 
exclaimed the doctor, solemnly; ‘so you had better take 
it to heart and turn over a new leaf.” 
“I would rather have died in making a perpetual tour 
of inspection of that old stump than relinquish such a 
habit,” said Smith, dramatically. ‘‘ Now, away, and to 
camp, that I may feast my eyes on the pots, for ’m 
awfully hungry.” 
To camp we accordingly returned, and found that we 
had not come back too soon, as the wolves were prowling 
about it, in hopes of being able to steal something. A 
few shots dispersed them ina hurry, but they retaliated by 
serenading us from a distance, and making our lives mis- 
erable. They even returned at a later hour, and tried to 
impose on our confidence, but the dogs soon scared them 
away, and a huge fire kept them at bay for the remainder 
