Guns and Snowshoes; Or, the Winter Outing of the Young Hunters Part 15

Slowly one hour after another went by, until the darkness of night lay over the camp. The snow came down as thickly as ever and the wind shrieked dismally through the leafless trees. Time and again the two boys had gone to the doorway to look out, and Snap had even run down to the very edge of the lake.

"It's no use," he said finally. "They are s...o...b..und and can't get here. If only they are safe!"

"Yes, if only they are safe!" echoed Giant.

CHAPTER XI

s...o...b..UND

Left to themselves, Shep and Whopper started off briskly after the deer that had been seen from the top of the tree.

"We must get at least one of 'em by all means," said Shep. "It won't do to go back to the camp skunked."

"We shan't be skunked," answered Whopper, confidantly. "If there are a dozen, we'll bag the lot of them!"

The trail was by no means as easy as they had antic.i.p.ated, and they had to pick their way around the rocks and through the brushwood with care. Once Whopper slid down one of the rocks and landed on his back with a thump that took the wind out of him completely.

"Cats and carrots!" he gasped. "Say, but that was a hard one, right enough!"

"Trying to split the rock?" asked Shep, helping him up.

"No, I was only testing it, to see how soft it was," growled Whopper.

Soon the two boys found themselves going up a small hill. The climb was rather discouraging, until Whopper let out a soft cry, and then motioned for silence.

"See 'em?" queried his chum, in a whisper.

"No, but there are the tracks, as plain as day!"

Whopper was right, the deer tracks were there, although partly covered by the falling snow. At the sight of them the spirits of the boy hunters arose wonderfully. They forgot how tired they were, and pushed forward at a faster gait than ever before.

"Won't we surprise them when we come back with such game!" said Shep.

"I think so, Shep. They didn't really think we'd get anything,"

answered Whopper.

On and on went the boys, the trail of the deer becoming plainer at every step. They did not notice how much ground they were covering nor in what direction they were moving. They had "deer fever" and had it hard.

Presently they came to the top of the rise of ground. Beyond was a patch of scrub timber, where, years before, a forest fire had wiped out the best of the trees. Looking ahead they saw four deer walking slowly along near some brushwood.

"There they are!" cried Shep, and brought his gun around for use.

At that moment the deer turned partly around and looked squarely at the boys. They were evidently taken completely by surprise and their heads went up high as they discovered the enemy. Then, without further hesitation they leaped forward, toward the dense timber ahead.

Bang! went Shep's shotgun, and crack! came the sharp report of Whopper's rifle. Before the echoes had died away the last of the deer leaped high in the air, made a part turn and then came down heavily.

Then it got up, ran several paces and fell again and began to kick.

"I hit him!"

"So did I!"

"Let's try for another!"

But to try for another was out of the question. With the fall of the hind one, the others reached the shelter of the dense timber and in a second more were completely out of sight, and running as only frightened deer can run when they know it is a case of life or death for them.

When the two young hunters reached the side of the fallen deer it was just breathing its last.

The bullet from the rifle had entered its side and the buckshot had struck in the neck and shoulder.

"We both brought him down," said Shep.

"Pity we didn't get the others," grumbled Whopper.

"Well, one is better than nothing."

"Oh, I know that, and I am thankful as far as that goes. Will it be worth while to go after the others, do you think?"

"No. They'll run too far before they stop."

The deer was of fair size, and looked as if it would make good eating.

They inspected the game with much interest, turning it over and lifting it up.

"Pretty heavy," announced Whopper. "We'll have all we want to do to carry it to camp."

"Just what I was thinking. And say, just look how it is snowing!"

The two young hunters gazed about them and were a good deal startled.

It was growing dark and the leaden air seemed to be filled with snow.

They had paid little attention to the wind, but now realized that it was rising steadily.

"The best thing we can do is to make for camp," said Shep. "If we don't--" He did not finish.

"You think we'll be s...o...b..und?"

"Doesn't it look like it?"

"I must admit, it does."

Alarmed more than they cared to mention, both boys prepared to return to the Inn without delay. They selected a slender sapling and cut it down with a hunting knife Shep carried. They trimmed off the limbs, thus making of it a pole. To this they slung the deer, tied fast by the front and the hind legs. Then Whopper took the front end of the load and Shep the rear end, and thus they set off in the direction they had come.

For perhaps a quarter of a mile all went well, for, despite the falling snow, they managed to keep to the tracks they had made in following the deer. Then, of a sudden, Whopper came to a halt and Shep, of course, had to do likewise.

"What's up?" asked the latter.

"I can't see the trail anymore. The falling snow has covered it completely."