flurry a few minutes before.

It was not in the order of things that the lads should be able to make
their way through the woods and undergrowth with anything like the speed
of the fallow deer or dog. Hunters don't expect to overtake their game
in anything like a fair chase when all are on foot, but resort to
stratagem.

By stationing themselves so as to head off a deer, they secure the one
shot which is all-sufficient. It would be counted an extremely good
piece of fortune could they obtain such a fair target as has already
been given the young hunters; and, having let it pass unimproved, they
scarcely would have expected to be so favored again.

It was natural, therefore, that they should make a pell-mell rush after
the deer and hound, and that they should keep going until, once more,
they were forced to stop from exhaustion.

By this time the baying of Bowser came to them so faintly that it was
plain he was a mile distant at the least, while there could be little
doubt that the buck was much farther off.

"Well!" exclaimed the panting Herbert Watrous, "I can't say I see much
fun in this; it's too much like chasing a railroad train."

"No," added Nick, "I don't see that there is any hope of running down
the deer, who is more used to traveling than we are."

"Maybe he'll come round in a circle again," said Sam, "and we may have
another chance to see him sail by, while not one of us raises his gun."

"I suppose we ought to understand something more about the habits of
the deer, so that we would know what course he would be likely to take.
We could then get there ahead of him and fire as soon as he gave us a
chance."

"Well," added Sam, with a sigh, "he seems to have taken the route we
were going to follow to hunt the bear, so we may as well tramp along. We
may get a glimpse of a buffalo or elephant next."

The baying of the hound had ceased, and, though the boys often stopped
and listened, they heard nothing more of it.

"I guess he has caught the deer," said Herbert, who showed a desire to
speak well of Bowser since he had failed to shoot him, "and is waiting
for us."

But Sam shook his head; he knew the canine too well to believe him
capable of such an exploit as that.

"I don't think he ever ran down anything yet, unless it was a chicken or
cat--hallo!"

At that moment the subject of their conversation appeared on the scene,
approaching as quietly as though the boys were sheep that he wished to
su