Four Boy Hunters Part 22

Do you understand that?"

They all said that they did.

"Very good. Now, one thing more. Don't get scared. Shoot quickly, but take as good an aim as you possibly can. If the deer is coming toward you, let him git putty close before you let drive."

Having issued these instructions, the old hunter moved on once more, and the boys followed. Each had his weapon ready for use, and each advanced with as little noise as possible.

The deer were in a little glade, cropping the tender gra.s.s around a small spring. They were six in number, including a fair-sized buck, who occasionally raised his head, as if on guard. But the wind, as Jed Sanborn had said, was blowing directly from the deer to the hunters, so nothing in the air gave the game the alarm until it was too late.

When the old hunter raised his hand, the boys knew it was a signal to halt. Jed Sanborn crouched low and wormed his way to some bushes fringing the glade, and the young hunters did the same.

It was a thrilling sight and it made the boys tremble in eager antic.i.p.ation. Not a word was spoken, for they scarcely dared to breathe.

In a minute each hunter had his gun into position, Giant resting on a rock and Whopper in the crotch of a low tree.

"I'll take the buck," whispered Jed Sanborn. "Ready?"

"Yes."

"Then fire!"

Crack! went the several firearms, in a scattering volley, and the buck and one of the others pitched headlong, not to rise. Another deer was. .h.i.t in the side, but leaped into the bushes and was soon lost to sight. Still another went limping off on three legs.

"After 'em! Finish 'em up!" yelled Jed Sanborn, and led in the chase, across the glade and into the brushwood beyond. Here they caught sight of the limping deer, and all of the boys gave it a shot, which finished it in short order.

"Three, anyway," was the old hunter's comment. "Not so bad."

"You brought down the buck and Snap brought down the deer near him,"

said Whopper.

"And all of you brought down the third one," said Snap. "I think as Jed says, it is not such a bad haul."

"Can we get the others?" asked Giant, anxiously. "I want to do better than I have."

"No use of going after 'em now," said the old hunter. "They will run too far. Some day---listen!"

They listened, and from a distance heard two gun shots, followed by several more.

"Somebody else is out," said Shep. "Wonder who it can be?"

He was destined to find out before he was many hours older.

CHAPTER XVII

THE RIVAL CAMPERS

It was no light matter to get the three deer down to the lake sh.o.r.e.

The old hunter showed the boys how to lash the game to long poles, resting the poles on their shoulders as they walked along.

"I believe I'll take the buck to town," said Jed Sanborn. "I can get a good price for him there."

"Will you take one of the deer home for us?" asked Snap, after consulting with his fellow-members of the gun club.

"Sure I will, lad."

"We want the meat divided," came from Shep. "Give each family its fair share." And so it was arranged, and the boys told Jed Sanborn to tell their folks that all was going well and they were "having the time of their lives."

After Jed Sanborn had departed the four boys set to work to cut up the deer they had kept. They nailed the hide up so that it might he preserved, and then cut a fine venison steak for supper.

"Now we've got a real camp!" cried Snap, enthusiastically. "Just think of it! Deer meat!" And he fairly danced a jig for joy.

It was certainly a happy gathering, and the young hunters voted the venison steak the best meat they had ever eaten.

"Well, I declare!" cried Whopper, presently, as he gazed across the lake. "Am I mistaken, or is that a camp-fire I see."

"It certainly is a fire," answered Snap, leaping to his feet.

"Maybe it belongs to those persons we heard shooting, after we shot the deer," suggested Shep.

The boys were curious to know what sort of folks could be in that vicinity, and after it was talked over, Snap and Whopper entered the rowboat and moved over the lake in the direction of the strange light.

"I see three persons moving around," announced Snap, as they drew closer. "Let us remain on the lake until we make sure what sort of people they are."

They drew closer with caution and at last made out five young men, among them Ham Spink, the Fairview dude, who was, as usual, smoking a cigarette.

"It's the whole Ham Spink crowd," muttered Snap---"Ham and d.i.c.k Bush, Carl Dudder, Sid Foley and Sam Anderson. I didn't know they were coming up here."

"Ham said something about going hunting," answered Whopper. "Don't you know how he stuck up his nose at our way of going out?"

"Yes, I remember. But I don't see that their camp looks any better than ours does," went on Snap. "See, they have a fancy striped tent.

That looks well, but it can't be very warm."

"They have one of those patent cook stoves, Snap. They don't use the camp-fire to cook by."

"Well, I'd just as soon use the regular fire."

"See, they have a wash-stand and a regular looking-gla.s.s," went on Whopper. "Nothing like being in style, is there?"

During their conversation the two boys had allowed their craft to float close to sh.o.r.e. Now one of the lads in the camp saw the boat and leaped up in alarm.

"Somebody is coming, fellows!" he called out.

"Oh, it's only Snap Dodge and Whopper Dawson," drawled Ham Spink, lighting a fresh cigarette. "What do you want?" he asked, abruptly.

"Nothing," answered Snap, coldly.