obstacle, and again found
themselves traversing a windswept avenue that led in the general
direction they wished to go.

A short time afterwards Jud uttered a shout.

"Hold on a minute, fellows!" he called out.

"What ails you now, Jud--got a cramp in your leg, or do you think it's
time we stopped for a bite of lunch?" demanded Bobolink.

"Here's the plain track of a deer," answered Jud, pointing down as he
spoke. "And it was made only a short time ago you can see, because
while the wind blows the snow some every little while, it hasn't
filled the track."

"That's good scout logic, Jud," affirmed Paul; and even the old
woodsman nodded his head as though he liked to hear the boy think
things out so cleverly.

"Here it turns into this blind path," continued Jud, "which I'd like
to wager ends before long in a big drift. Like as not if we chose to
follow, we'd find Mr. Stag wallowing in the deepest kind of snow, and
making an easy mark."

"Well, we can't turn aside just now, to hunt a poor deer that is
having a hard enough time of it keeping life in his body," said Tom
Betts, aggressively.

"No, we'll let the poor beast have his chance to get away," said the
scout-master. "We've started out on a definite errand, and mustn't
allow ourselves to be drawn aside. So put your best foot forward
again, Jud."

Jud looked a little loth to give up the chance to get the deer, a
thing he had really set his mind on. However, there would still be
plenty of time to accomplish this, and equal Bobolink's feat, whereby
the other had been able to procure fresh venison for the camp.

"How far along do you think we are, Tolly Tip?" asked Tom Betts, after
more time had passed, and they began to feel the result of their
struggle.

"More'n half way there, I'd be sayin'," the other replied. "Though it
do same as if the drifts might be gittin' heavier the closer we draw
to the hill. Av ye fale tired mebbe we'd better rist up a bit."

"What, me tired!" exclaimed Tom, disdainfully, at the same time
putting new life in his movements. "Why, I've hardly begun to get
started so far. Huh! I'm good for all day at this sort of work, I'm so
fond of ploughing through the snow."

The forest seemed very solemn and silent. Doubtless nearly all of the
little woods folk found themselves buried under the heavy fall of
snow, and it would take time for them to tunnel out.

"Listen to the crows cawing as they fly overhead," said Jud,
presently.

"