ise. The droppings of the deer, known as "sign" by all hunters, were
numerous, and the brush within reach from the path showed indications of
having been browsed on recently, and he found several places where sharp
hoofs had pawed away the snow since the last storm.

The path twisted and turned and doubled on itself, showing that it had
been made originally by aimless wandering in quest of food. Other paths
crossed it, but Walter avoided these, judging that the one he was on was
as likely as another to lead him to the quarry. At length after an
abrupt turn it led straight into a thicket of hemlocks, young growth. As
he approached this there was a sharp sound like the sudden release of
compressed air, repeated a second later from a point a trifle to the
right. It was the alarm warning of deer. Above the snow just to the
right of and beyond the thicket he caught a glimpse of the heads and
necks of two does moving rapidly. The effect was most peculiar. It was
as if they possessed no bodies until one of them made a high jump for
just an instant, bringing the back and rump, with its snowy white flag
stiffly erect, into view.

"From the way they go I should think it was the hunting season. I had an
idea that they wouldn't be particularly timid, but those two lit out in
a regular panic. Act like they'd been hunted until their nerves were all
on edge," thought the boy as he hurriedly forced his way through the
thicket.

He had no expectation of finding more there, but was eager to see where
the two had been lying and then to follow them up as rapidly as
possible. So he burst through the screen of hemlocks in rather
precipitate fashion, an unusual proceeding for Upton, whose natural
caution had been supplemented by a very thorough training in woodcraft
during the three summers he had spent at Woodcraft Camp. The instant he
was through the barrier he realized the folly of his action. Facing him,
not ten feet away, was a big buck with a splendid pair of antlers.

[Illustration: NOT TEN FEET AWAY WAS A BIG BUCK]

If the does were panic stricken their lord was not. On the contrary he
was the embodiment of vicious anger. The hair on his neck was raised,
his eyes blazed with rage; and he was pawing the snow with impatience.
These details were registered on Walter's mind to be recalled later, but
at the time he was conscious of but one thing--that he had stumbled into
a predicament which might easily cost him his life. No sooner wa