hey possibly did not know what to make of it, for as a
rule their masters probably tempted them to chase a deer even with the
law against hounding in force.

"Keep back there, you greedy curs!" yelled Josh; and as Tom and Felix
joined in the shouting, the last mentioned also waving his flashing
paddle, the swimming dogs came to a pause.

Whenever they made a start as though intending to sweep past the log on
which the three scouts were perched, Felix, waiting for some such move,
paddled vigorously to head them off. This series of obstructive
tactics, coupled with the demonstration made by the other boys, served
to keep the hounds in check for a certain length of time.

"There, he's made the shore across on the other side of the pond!"
announced Tom.

Looking that way the boys saw the harried buck hasten out of the
shallow water. He turned once on the very edge to give a single glance
back toward the baffled dogs, still swimming aimlessly about, and
yapping in defeat, then leaped lightly into the undergrowth and
vanished from sight.

"Good-bye!" shouted Josh, waving his hand after the rescued deer, "and
good luck!"

The dogs by this time had managed to flank the obstruction.

"No use chasing after them any more, Felix," said Tom; "I think the
deer has a good lead on them now, and will easily make his escape."

They watched the pack swim to the shore, and noted that they came out
at some little distance from the spot where the buck had left the
water.

"That's going to delay them still more," announced Tom; "they've lost
the scent, and will have to chase up and down hunting for it."

Sure enough the hounds ran first one way with their noses to the
ground, then doubled back. It was several minutes before a triumphant
yelp announced that they had finally struck the lost trail.

"There they go with a rush!" said Josh, as the pack was seen to start
off, following the course taken by the deer.

Their eager yelps became less distinct as they skirted around the foot
of Big Bear Mountain.

"Well, that was a queer happening, wasn't it?" said Tom, as they
prepared to resume their fishing, which had been so singularly
interrupted.

"It'll make an interesting event for your note book, Tom," declared
Felix.

"A deer is seldom seen around this region," Josh ventured to say;
"which makes our luck all the more remarkable. I wouldn't have missed
that sight for a good deal!"

"I saw Stanley Ackerman using his camera,