away now. The
excitement did it for me; and I've got my second wind."

"Then you want to keep on hunting?" asked the scoutmaster, feeling that
Step Hen was exhibiting considerable grit under the circumstances, and
delighted to see this same brought out by the ill turn fortune had given
him.

"Sure I do," instantly replied the other. "I'm just wild to get another
chance to knock over a six-pronged buck; and now that I know the ropes,
it's easy as falling off a log. Looks like this snow ain't agoing to
amount to much, after all; and we've got pretty nearly half a day ahead
of us yet. So let's keep on for a while. When I get a little tired,
we'll stop to eat our snack of grub, when I can rest up, and be ready
for another hour or two. But I'm afraid my luck has turned, and we won't
sight another deer this blessed day; do you, Thad?"

"We'll hope to, at any rate," replied the other, as he started off
again; "and it's that constant expectation of starting up game that
makes hunting all it's cracked up to be. So come along, Step Hen; and if
we fail to bring in our share of venison it won't be because we lay down
too easy. Now for quiet again, remember, and keep a constant lookout
ahead."

CHAPTER XI.

OVERTAKEN BY DARKNESS.

It must have been a long time after the noon hour when Step Hen did as
he had promised, called a halt in order that they might eat their lunch,
and take a rest.

As the cold was still with them, though the snow had thus far amounted
to but little, Step Hen insisted on starting a small fire, at which they
could sit, and be comfortable, while they devoured the food provided for
the midday meal.

"You make a fire as quick as the next one, Step Hen," admitted Thad,
really meaning what he said, and at the same time wishing to raise the
drooping spirits of his hunting mate, who was feeling very sore over the
loss of his game.

"Oh! I don't pretend to know much about starting a blaze in half a dozen
styles, the way Giraffe's got it down pat," observed the other, smiling
a little; "but if you pin me down to going at it the easiest way, with
matches, and dead pine cones, why I'm there every time. And say, it does
feel some handy, don't it, Thad?"

They sat there, and chatted for quite a long time after they had
consumed the last morsel of food. And during that resting spell Step Hen
picked up many a crumb of useful knowledge concerning the ways of the
woods. Thad did not know all that Allan H