THE FIGHT WITH THE BUCK
Jed Sanborn had promised to remain long enough in the camp to go out
on at least one deer hunt with them, and, on the following day, the
whole party started out, shutting up the shelter as best they could,
so that no wild animals might get inside during their absence.
The snow had ceased to come down. It covered the ground to the depth
of a foot and a half on the level and Jed said it was just the right
kind of weather for deer.
"If we spot 'em they won't have much chance to git away," he told
them, "They can't run in sech deep snow nohow."
Of course they went on their snowshoes. Jed had brought his own
along--a pair rather the worse for wear, but on which he covered the
snow as rapidly as any of them. He said he had frequently been out on
snowshoes for days at a time and they did not bother him in the least.
He grinned when Shep took a tumble, but aided the lad to arise without
any comment.
The old hunter had seen some deer at a place called Doorknob Valley, a
hollow to the southwest of Firefly Lake, and led them in that
direction. The trail was by no means an even one, and often they had
to force their way through bushes half buried in the snow.
It was noon before they came in sight of Doorknob Valley, with some
hills running around one side and a series of cliffs and rough rocks
and scrub pines on the other. To the boys' dismay, not a deer was in
sight. Snap looked questioningly at the old hunter.
"I think we'll find 'em somewhere around here," said Jed. "Come,
follow me, and don't make any noise. I haven't seen a winter yet when
there weren't deer in Doorknob Valley."
They pressed on, over one of the hills, and then towards the cliffs
and rough rocks. Soon Jed held up his hand.
"Have you spotted any?" whispered Shep, eagerly.
The old hunter nodded, and then pointed to the edge of one of the
cliffs. Under, in something of a shelter, they could see several deer
and not far away a big, sturdy buck, all feeding on some tender
saplings which they were stripping of bark.
"Oh, what a shot!" whispered Giant, excitedly.
"We'll try to git a bit closer," said Jed Sanborn. "But don't make any
noise, or we'll have to follow 'em until they get winded."
Hardly daring to breathe after that, the boys followed the old hunter
in and out among the cliffs and rough rocks. This was the hardest part
of the journey and both Snap and Whopper went down, the latter twice,
much to his disgust.
"Now, don't make a sound," cautioned Jed Sanborn. "And don't show
yourselves till I tell you to."
They were passing down between the rough rocks, and soon came to a
spot where there were several thick clumps of bushes. Here the old
hunter went ahead again. Then he motioned for the boys to drop down
low and they did so. Peering forth through the bushes they could now
see the deer close at hand. The big buck, however, was not visible.
"Where is the buck?" whispered Snap in Jed's ear. The young leader of
the Gun Club wished very much to lay that magnificent beast low.
The old hunter pointed to a nearby cliff.
There was the buck, standing between two saplings, eating the bark of
one and rubbing himself against the other.
"Can I hit him, do you think?" went on Snap.
"You can try. But wait."
In a low tone Jed Sanborn instructed the lads to aim and fire to the
best advantage. Each was to shoot at his own game, and Sanborn said he
would take a shot or two afterwards.
"I'll give the word," said the old hunter. "Are you all ready?"
They were, and he ordered them to fire. Bang! bang! bang! went the
three shotguns, and crack! went the rifle. The deer Shep had aimed at
was killed outright and the two aimed at by Giant and Whopper were
badly wounded. The buck, upon which Snap had tried his skill, was hit
in the flank, and he gave a snort of rage as he swung around, breaking
one of the saplings as he did so.
"Hurrah, I've got one!" cried Shep, in exultation.
"Mine is down, but it isn't dead," said Giant.
"Neither is mine, but I guess we can get 'em both," answered Whopper.
And then the lads ran forward to secure the two struggling deer, that
were floundering furiously in the snow.
Snap had turned toward the buck, but now he got a sudden attack of
"buck fever" as it is called and stood stock still, with eyes staring
from his head.
"Look out there, he'll horn you!" yelled Jed Sanborn, and raised his
gun to fire. But as he did so, Shep bumped against him, and the
buckshot intended for the buck only rent the empty air.
By this time the buck was less than a hundred feet from where Snap was
standing. That he was wild with rage could be seen from the look out
of his wide-open and bloodshot eyes. He lowered his antlers, as if to
pierce poor Snap through and through.
"Run! run!" yelled Shep. "Run, Snap!"
It was then that Snap awoke to the peril which confronted him, and
turning, he made a leap to one side and around a clump of the bushes.
The buck turned too, and at that moment Jed Sanborn discharged the
second barrel of his shotgun, this time taking the game in one of the
rear legs.
For the moment the buck was halted and he raised the wounded leg and
let out a moan of pain. Then his fury increased, and with a mighty
effort he arose in the air, intending to leap directly over the clump
of bushes and on top of Snap.
But now Shep was ready for another shot and he let drive at the buck,
hitting him along the left side. This served to bring the leap to a
halt in midair, and doubling up, the buck sank down directly in the
midst of the bushes.
"Good for you!" shouted Snap, and rushing forward he, too, took a
second shot. This was too much for the buck, and crashing out of the
bushes he rolled over and over and then stretched out, dead.
It was fully five minutes before the excitement was at an end. Snap
was a trifle pale.
"What a narrow escape!" he murmured. "I thought sure he was going to
horn me!"
"A buck will fight sometimes and when he does he's as ugly as any
critter on four legs," said Jed Sanborn. "I might have fixed him with
my first shot only Shep bumped into me. But I know he didn't mean to
do it," added the old hunter hastily.
"I didn't see you--I was looking at the other deer," explained the
doctor's son.
"Can we get any more of 'em?" demanded Whopper.
"Whopper always wants a dozen or two," laughed Giant.
"No more deer to-day, lad," said Jed Sanborn. "I think we have had
remarkable luck. Why, sometimes a crowd like this can tramp all day
and not get a sight of a deer. As it is, we're going to have some fun
getting our game home."
"Oh, we can't carry such a load!" cried Giant.
"We'll cut some drags and get 'em to camp that way," said the old
hunter.
He pointed out two saplings which might do for drags, and they cut
them down with the axe the old hunter had brought along. Then they
placed the two largest of the deer on one and the buck and the
smallest deer on the other, thus making the loads about even. Some of
the branches of the saplings had been cut off, so that they trailed
over the snow rather flatly, which was what was desired.
They had brought lunch with them, and before they started on the
return they built a small campfire and made themselves a pot of
chocolate, something of which Jed was exceedingly fond.
"I don't go much on candy," said he, "but chocolate seemed to hit the
spot, better'n coffee or tea."
"I like them all," answered Snap.
The repast over, they started on the return, Jed helping with first
one drag and then the other. He also pointed out what he thought would
be the easiest route to follow. This was over two hills.
"Well have to climb, but we won't fall down between any o' the rocks,"
he said. "It's dangerous walking over rocks with snow on 'em, for if
you go down in a hollow you're liable to twist an ankle or break a
leg."
"We certainly don't want any accidents," said Shep.
"How the eyes of Ham Spink and his crowd would stick out if they knew
we had bagged so much game!" exclaimed Whopper. "If they had such luck
they'd never get done talking about it."
"Do you think they'll come out this winter?" questioned Giant.
"I don't know," answered Snap. "If they do come out I hope they keep
away from us."
"So do I," put in the doctor's son.