OUT AFTER DEER
"You see two deer?" queried Snap.
"Yes."
"How far from here?" questioned the doctor's son.
"A good quarter of a mile."
"Oh, that's not so far!" exclaimed Giant. "Come on after them,
fellows."
"Wait till I get down," said Whopper, coming as quickly as he could.
"Don't go ahead yet."
"How are we going ahead, since you are the only one that knows where
the game is?" answered the doctor's son.
As soon as Whopper was on the ground, they set off, taking the wild
turkey with them. The shot had entered the heart of the turkey,
killing it instantly, and its single flutter had only served to wedge
it fast in the tree crotch.
"Boys, it is growing colder," announced Snap, as they proceeded.
"As if we didn't know it," answered Giant, slapping his hands
together.
"And I think it is going to snow some more," went on Snap.
"Pooh! who cares!" cried Whopper. "I am going to get one of those deer
if I die for it."
"So say I!" put in Shep. "Remember, we ought to get quite some game on
hand, in case we get snowed in at the camp."
The sky had become overcast, and this was what made it seem colder.
The wind, too, was springing up, and they were glad to keep to the
sheltered portions of the ground so far as the journey after the deer
permitted.
Inside of fifteen minutes they covered more than a quarter of a mile.
Yet no deer were to be seen.
"Whopper, didn't you make some mistake?" asked Snap, coming to a halt.
"I am sure I saw the deer."
"Whopper must have been deceived in the distance," said Giant. "Things
look closer on the water, or when the ground is covered with snow."
"Perhaps that's it," answered Whopper. "Anyway, the deer were
somewhere out here, I'm sure."
Again they went on, but soon came to a series of rocks, where walking
was difficult. Giant slipped on one of the rocks and barked his left
shin.
"Oh dear!" he cried, in pain. "I don't like this much. It is a regular
Rocky Road to Dublin!"
"I don't feel like going much further," said Snap. "I think we ought
to go, back. See, it is starting in to snow," he added, as the flakes
began to fall.
The four boy hunters held a consultation, which almost ended in a
quarrel. Whopper was determined to go ahead after the deer and so was
Shep, while Snap and Giant insisted upon returning to the camp.
"I'll tell you what's let do," said Whopper. "Two of us can go on and
two go back. That's fair."
"And the two to go back can take the game to camp," added Shep. "There
is no use of our carrying it with us. And, besides, if we get a deer,
that will be a big load for us."
"Aren't you afraid of a big snow coming on?" questioned Snap.
"Oh, this snow won't amount to anything," declared the doctor's son.
"Perhaps it will."
Snap and Giant took possession of all the game, and turned over to
Shep and Whopper the lunch that had been brought along.
"We can get what we want when we reach camp," said Snap. "And you may
need this before you get back."
"If I were you I wouldn't stay out too late," cautioned Giant. "If you
do, you may lose your way in the dark."
"We'll be safe enough," answered Whopper confidantly.
It was no light load for Snap and Giant to carry, for the turkey,
rabbits and squirrels were all big. They saw Shep and Whopper depart
and rested fully five minutes before taking to the back trail.
"I wish they had come with us," said the leader of the Gun Club. "I
doubt if they get a deer--the wind is blowing directly toward the
game."
"Well, they wanted to go so let them," answered Giant.
The barked shin hurt considerably and he was anxious to get back to
camp, that he might wash it and bathe it with witch hazel.
"Let us go up the lake and across on the ice," suggested Snap. "It
will be shorter, and we'll avoid that nasty gully and the rough
rocks."
They took to the course mentioned, and inside of half an hour reached
the lake front once more. It was now snowing steadily and the wind was
gradually rising.
"I said it was going to snow hard," grumbled Snap. "They should have
come with us. It won't be fit to be out in another hour."
"Well, they wanted their own way, so let them have it," answered his
companion.
They wished they had their skates to skate across a cove which
separated them from the camp. The bare spots on the ice were as
slippery as wet glass and they had to walk "as if on eggs," as Snap
expressed it. Once his right foot went from under him, and he measured
his length on his back, while his gun slid a dozen feet away.
"Come here and I'll pick you up," sang out Giant merrily, as soon as
he saw his chum was not hurt.
"That was a peachy fall," grumbled Snap, as he turned over and got up.
"Glad the gun didn't go off."
"Do you know what I am going to do--if it doesn't snow too hard?" said
Giant, as they walked on again. "Try my luck at fishing through a hole
in the ice. Fish will taste good for breakfast."
They were directly in the middle of the lake when a distant gunshot
reached their ears, followed by another. They halted and listened.
"Whopper and Shep must have found something to shoot at," remarked the
smaller member of the Gun Club.
"Or else there are other hunters in this vicinity. I shouldn't be
surprised if Jed Sanborn is out."
"Yes, and a dozen others, for the matter of that."
By the time they had crossed the lake the wind was blowing furiously,
sending the snow whirling over the smooth ice in long white streaks.
More than half out of breath, the two young hunters were glad enough
to reach the shelter of the trees and bushes.
"It's going to be a corker," was Snap's comment. "Just listen to the
wind whistling through the trees!"
"I don't think I'll try fishing just yet," said Giant. "I might get
frozen fast to the ice."
"Fishing will have to wait, Giant. Come on into the Inn."
They were glad enough to enter the shelter and rest for a few minutes.
Then, when they had regained their breath, both set about building a
fire. Luckily they had saved some dry bark and brushwood, so starting
the blaze was comparatively easy. They heaped on several medium-sized
sticks and then a good back and a front log, and soon the fire was
roaring merrily. The home-made chimney was wide open at the top, so a
good deal of heat was lost, yet enough remained below to warm the
shelter nicely.
"I tell you, a fire makes all the difference in the world!" declared
Snap, as he pulled off his outer coat and cap and sat down close to
the chimney. "No matter how forlorn or lonely a fellow feels, a fire
is bound to brighten him up and make him feel on better terms with
himself."
"Right you are, Snap. I pity the fellow who gets left in the woods
without a match, or the wherewith to start a camp-fire," answered
Giant, who was using the witch hazel on his ankle.
As soon as they were warm, the two boys set to work to cook themselves
a substantial meal. They prepared sufficient for all hands, thinking
that Shep and Whopper would be back in an hour or two at the most.
"They won't stay out very long--with this snowstorm on," remarked
Snap. "They know what such a storm means as well as we do."
Before leaving camp that morning Giant had made some bread dough and
set it for raising. This was now in good shape and he kneaded it over
and made some loaves and some muffins. The muffins they used for their
meal, along with more beans and some stewed squirrel, and a pot of hot
chocolate. They ate leisurely, at the same time keeping their ears on
the alert for the coming of their companions. Three times during the
meal Snap went to the doorway, to gaze out.
"They are foolish not to come back before it gets night," he said. "If
they don't look out they'll be snow-bound."
"Oh, Snap, do you think so?" cried the smaller member of the club, in
alarm.
"It might happen, Giant. Just look how it is snowing! Why, I can't see
a hundred feet from the Inn!"
Giant came to the opening and peered forth. Snap was right, the snow
was coming down thickly, and the fierce wind sent it swirling in all
directions. The landscape on all sides was completely blotted out.
"Oh, if only they had come back with us!" murmured Giant.
Both of the boys sighed and returned to the fireside, finishing their
meal in silence. They were much worried, more than they cared to admit
to each other.
The meal over, Giant warmed some water and washed the few tin dishes
and other things which had been dirtied. Snap put another log on the
fire, and then got out the acetylene bicycle lamp that had been
brought along.
"What are you going to do with that?" questioned Giant.
"Light it and hang it out for a searchlight," answered Snap. "It may
aid them in finding the Inn."
The gas lamp was soon fizzing and then Snap applied a match. As it
flashed up, he regulated the light and then the affair was taken
outside and hung where its rays might flash forth through the storm
and across the cove of the lake.
"They can see that quite a distance, even through the flying snow,"
said the leader of the Gun Club. "And they'll want all the light they
can get, to find their way back."
He and Giant sat down again in front of the roaring fire. They watched
the sparks fly upward and the ruddy glare showed a concerned look on
the face of each. They did not care to read or play any game, and
talked in low tones, each with his ears strained to catch any sound
from without.
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 snowbound and can't get
here. If only they are safe!"
"Yes, if only they are safe!" echoed Giant.