, they moved forward crouched to the
ground, Malachi and Martin in the advance. When in the hollows, they
all collected together, but on ascending a swell of the land, it was
either Malachi or Martin who first crept up, and looking over the
summit, gave notice to the others to come forward. This was continually
repeated for three or four miles, when Martin, having raised his head
just above a swell, made a signal to those who were below that the deer
were in sight. After a moment or two reconnoitring, he went down and
informed them that there were twelve or thirteen head of deer scraping
up the snow about one hundred yards ahead of them upon another swell of
the land; but that they appeared to be alarmed and anxious, as if they
had an idea of danger being near.

Malachi then again crawled up to make his observations, and returned.

"It is sartain," said he, "that they are flurried about something; they
appear just as if they had been hunted, and yet that is not likely. We
must wait and let them settle a little, and find out whether any other
parties have been hunting them."

They waited about ten minutes, till the animals appeared more settled,
and then, by altering their position behind the swell, gained about
twenty-five yards of distance. Malachi told each party which animal to
aim at, and they fired nearly simultaneously. Three of the beasts fell,
two others were wounded, the rest of the herd bounded off like the wind.

They all rose from behind the swell and ran forward to their prey.
Alfred had fired at a fine buck which stood apart from the rest, and
somewhat farther off; it was evident that the animal was badly wounded,
and Alfred had marked the thicket into which it had floundered; but the
other deer which was wounded was evidently slightly hurt, and there was
little chance of obtaining it, as it bounded away after the rest of the
herd. They all ran up to where the animals lay dead, and as soon as
they had reloaded their rifles, Alfred and Martin went on the track of
the one that was badly wounded. They had forced their way through the
thicket for some fifty yards, guided by the track of the animal, when
they started back at the loud growl of some beast. Alfred, who was in
advance, perceived that a puma (catamount, or painter, as it is usually
termed) had taken possession of the deer, and was lying over the
carcase. He levelled his rifle and fired; the beast, although badly
wounded, immediately spr