HFOLLOW/NG 
TH£ DEER 
down without a struggle to let the 
dogs do their cruel work. 
I had barely read all this, and had 
not yet finished measuring the largest 
tracks to see if it were her old en- 
emy that, as dogs frequently do, had 
gathered a pirate band about him and 
led them forth to the slaughter of the 
innocents, when a faint cry came steal- 
ing down through the gray woods. 
Hark ! the eager yelp of curs and the 
leading hoot of a hound. I whipped 
out my knife to cut a club, and was 
off for the sounds on a galloping run, 
which is the swiftest possible gait on 
snowshoes. 
There were no deer paths here ; for 
the hardwood browse, upon which 
