f eight feet, and the lake under it was several fathoms in
depth. The buck did not hesitate, but sprang outward and downwards. A
heavy plash followed, and for some seconds both wapiti and wolverene
were lost under the water. They rose to the surface, just as the boys
reached the bank, but they came up _separately_. The dip had proved a
cooler to the fierce wolverene; and while the wapiti was seen to strike
boldly out into the lake and swim off, the latter--evidently out of his
element--kept plunging about clumsily, and struggling to get back to the
shore.

Their position upon the cliff above gave the hunters an excellent
opportunity with their rifles, and both Basil and Norman sent their
bullets into the wolverene's back. Francois also emptied his
double-barrelled gun at the same object, and the shaggy brute sank dead
to the bottom of the lake. Strange to say, not one of the party had
thought of firing at the buck. This persecution by so many enemies had
won for him their sympathy, and they would now have suffered him to go
free, but the prospect of fresh venison for supper overcame their
commiseration, and the moment the wolverene was despatched all set about
securing the deer.

Their guns were reloaded, and, scattering along the shore, they prepared
to await his return. But the buck, seeing there was nothing but death in
his rear, swam on, keeping almost in a direct line out into the lake. It
was evident to all that he could not swim across the lake, as its
farther shore was not even visible. He must either return to where they
were, or drown; and knowing this to be his only alternative, they stood
still and watched his motions. When he had got about half-a-mile from
the shore, to the surprise of all, he was seen to rise higher and higher
above the surface, and then all at once stop, with half of his body
clear out of the water! He had come upon a shoal, and, knowing the
advantage of it, seemed determined to remain there.

Basil and Norman ran to the canoe, and in a few minutes the little craft
was launched, and shooting through the water. The buck now saw that it
was likely to be all up with him, and, instead of attempting to swim
farther, he faced round, and set his antlers forward in a threatening
attitude. But his pursuers did not give him the chance to make a rush.
When within fifty yards or so, Norman, who used the paddles, stopped and
steadied the canoe, and the next moment the crack of Basil's rifle
echoed