AN ADVENTUROUS DEER-HUNT.
In answer to Sumner's call, the others sprang up and hurried in the
direction of his voice. As they got beyond the circle of firelight they
saw that the day was breaking, though in the forest its light was dim
and uncertain. It was much stronger ahead of them, and within a minute
they stood at the water's edge, where objects near at hand were plainly
discernible. Although they more than suspected that the 'Glades had
been left behind, they were hardly prepared for the sight that greeted
their eyes. Instead of a limitless expanse of grass and water dotted
with islands, they saw a broad river flowing dark and silently towards
the coming dawn through a dense growth of tall forest trees. But for
the direction of its current, it was a counterpart of the one, now so
far behind, by which they had entered the 'Glades from the Gulf.
Of more immediate importance even than the river were the objects to
which Sumner triumphantly directed their attention. These were the
long-unseen canoes and the cruiser, with masts, sails, and paddles in
their places, and looking but little the worse for their journey than
when their owners had stepped from them nearly a week before. Sumner
had discovered them, snugly moored to the bank, a short distance below
the landing-place, and had towed them up to where the others now saw
them. In the bottom of the _Hu-la-lah_ lay their guns and pistols,
carefully oiled and in perfect order. Everything was in place, and they
could not find that a single article of their outfit was missing.
"I declare!" said the Lieutenant, "those Indians are decent fellows,
after all, and though I am provoked with them for their obstinacy
in not granting us a single interview, as well as for the way they
compelled us to journey through their country, I can't help admiring
the manner in which they have fulfilled their share of our contract.
They have shown the utmost fairness and honesty in all their dealings
with us, and I don't know that I blame them for the way in which they
have acted. They have been treated so abominably by the Government ever
since Florida came into our possession that they certainly have ample
cause to be suspicious of all white men."
Quorum was sent down to watch the canoes and see that they did not
again disappear, while the others ate the scanty breakfast that he
had prepared. At it they drank the last of their coffee, and Quorum
reported that there was nothing left of their provisions save some
corn-meal and a few biscuit.
As they talked of this state of affairs, Sumner said that he had
started up a deer when he went after the canoes, and Worth was
confident that this must be a good place in which to find his favorite
game--wild turkeys.
"It looks as though we would have to stop here long enough to do a
little hunting before proceeding any farther," said the Lieutenant.
To this proposition the boys, eager to use their recovered guns,
readily agreed.
So, after making sure that their camp was no longer guarded, and that
they were at liberty to go where they pleased, it was decided to devote
the morning to hunting, with the hope of replenishing their larder.
Quorum and the sailor were left to guard camp and the boats, while the
others entered the piny woods, going directly back from the river. The
Lieutenant carried a rifle and the boys their shot-guns, while each had
his pockets well filled with loaded shells.
The pine forest was filled with a dense undergrowth of saw-palmetto,
and the ground beneath these was covered with rough masses of broken
coralline rock. It was also slippery with a thick coating of brown
pine-needles. Under these circumstances, therefore, it was almost
impossible to proceed silently, and whatever game they might have seen
received ample warning of their approach in time to make good its
escape.
When they at length came to a grassy savanna, on the opposite side
of which was a small hammock of green, shrubby trees, the Lieutenant
proposed that the boys remain concealed where they were while he made a
long circuit around it. He would thus approach from its leeward side,
and any game that he might scare up would be almost certain to come in
their direction. After stationing them a few hundred feet apart, so
that they could cover a greater territory, and warning them to keep
perfectly quiet, he left them.
The sky was clouded, and a high wind soughed mournfully through the
tops of the pines. Every now and then the boys were startled by the
crash of a falling branch, while the grating of the interlocking limbs
above them sounded like distressed moanings. It was all so dismal and
lonesome that finally Worth could stand it no longer, and made his way
to where Sumner was sitting.
"Have you noticed how full the air is of smoke?" he said, as he
approached his companion. "My eyes are smarting from it."
"Yes," replied Sumner, "it has given me a choking sensation for some
time. I expect the woods are on fire somewhere."
"Really!" said Worth, looking about him, apprehensively. "Then don't
you think we ought to be getting back towards the river?"
"No, not yet. The fire must be a long way off still, and it would never
do for us to leave without Lieutenant Carey. He would think we were
lost, and be terribly anxious. There he is now! Did you hear that?"
Yes, Worth heard the distant rifle-shot that announced the Lieutenant's
whereabouts. Instantly his freshly aroused hunting instinct banished
all thoughts of the fire, and he hurried back to his post. He had not
more than reached it before there came a crashing among the palmettoes,
and ere the startled boy realized its cause, two deer, bounding over
the undergrowth with superb leaps, dashed past him and disappeared.
"Why didn't you fire?" cried Sumner, hurrying up a moment later. "It
was a splendid shot! I would give anything for such a chance!"
"I never thought of it," answered Worth, ruefully. "Besides, they went
so quickly that I didn't have time."
"They ought to have stood still for a minute or two, that's a fact,"
said Sumner, who was rather inclined to laugh at his less experienced
companion.
Just then there came another crashing of the palmettoes, and a third
deer bounded into sight for an instant, only to disappear immediately
as the others had done.
"Why didn't you fire?" laughed Worth. "It was a splendid shot!"
"Because this is your station," replied Sumner, anxious to conceal
beneath this weak excuse the fact that he had been fully as startled
and unnerved as his companion. "I do believe, though," he added, "that
this last fellow was wounded, and perhaps we may get him yet."
The discovery of fresh blood on the palmetto leaves through which the
flying animal had passed confirmed this belief, and without a thought
of the possible consequences the boys set off in hot pursuit of the
wounded deer.
They easily followed the trail of the blood-smeared leaves, and in the
ardor of their pursuit they might have gone a mile, or they might have
gone ten for all they knew, when suddenly, without warning, they came
face to face with the deer. He was a full-grown buck, with branching
antlers still in the velvet, and by his swaying from side to side he
was evidently exhausted. The sight of his enemies seemed to infuse him
with renewed strength, and the next instant he charged fiercely towards
them.
Worth, attempting to run, tripped and fell in his path. Sumner,
with better luck, sprang aside, and sent a charge of buckshot into
the furious animal at such short range that the muzzle of his gun
nearly touched it. It fell in a heap on top of Worth, gave one or two
convulsive kicks, and was dead.
Its warm life-blood spurted over the prostrate boy, and when Sumner
dragged him from beneath the quivering carcass he was smeared with it
from head to foot.
"Are you hurt, old man?" inquired Sumner, anxiously, as his companion
leaned heavily on him, trembling from exhaustion and his recent fright.
"I don't know that I am," replied Worth, with a feeble attempt at a
smile. "I expect I am only bruised and scratched. But, oh, Sumner,
what an awfully ferocious thing a deer is! Seems to me they are as bad
as panthers. What wouldn't I give for a drink of water! I can hardly
speak, I am so choked with smoke."
With this, Sumner suddenly became aware that the smoke, which they
had not noticed in the excitement of their chase, had so increased
in density that breathing was becoming difficult. Thoroughly alarmed,
he looked about him. In all directions the woods were full of it, and
even at a short distance the trees showed indistinctly through its blue
haze. Now, for the first time, the boys were conscious of a dull roar
with which the air was filled. Their long chase must have led them
directly towards the fire.
"We must get back to camp as quickly as possible!" exclaimed Sumner,
realizing at once the danger of their situation. "Come on, Worth, we
haven't a moment to lose!"
"But what shall we do with our deer?" asked the blood-covered boy, who
could not bear the thought of relinquishing their hard-won prize.
"Never mind the deer, but come along!" replied Sumner. "If I am not
mistaken, we shall have our hands full taking care of ourselves. That
fire is coming down on us faster than we can run, and we haven't any
too much start of it as it is."