FOLLOWING 
THE DEER^ 
in a low voice to himself, then with 
a sudden plunge swooped downward 
head-first into the snow. I stole to 
the spot where he had disappeared, 
noted the direction of his tunnel, and 
fell forward with arms outstretched, 
thinking perhaps to catch him under 
me, as 1 had occasionally done before, 
and examine his feet to see how his 
natural snowshoes (Nature's winter 
gift to every grouse) were developing, 
before letting him go again. But the 
grouse was an old bird, not to be 
caught napping, who had thought 
on the possibilities of being followed, 
ere he made his plunge. He had 
ploughed under the snow for a couple 
of feet, then swerved sharply to the 
121 
WINTER TRAILS 
