the dog's chasing.

There was no need of commiseration, however; now that the dog was
out of the way they could take care of themselves very well. I
found them resting only a short distance ahead; but when I
attempted to stalk them from leeward the noise of my approach on
the crust sent them off with a rush before I caught even a
glimpse of them in their thicket.

I gave up caution then and there. I was fresh and the deer were
tired,--why not run them down and get a fair shot before the sun
went down and left the woods too dark to see a rifle sight? I had
heard that the Indians used sometimes to try running a deer down
afoot in the old days; here was the chance to try a new
experience. It was fearfully hard traveling without snowshoes, to
be sure; but that seemed only to even-up chances fairly with the
deer. At the thought I ran on, giving no heed when the quarry
jumped again just ahead of me, but pushing them steadily, mile
after mile, till I realized with a thrill that I was gaining
rapidly, that their pauses grew more and more frequent, and I had
constant glimpses of deer ahead among the trees--never of the big
buck, but of the two does, who were struggling desperately to
follow their leader as he kept well ahead of them breaking the
way. Then realizing, I think, that he was followed by strength
rather than by skill or cunning, the noble old fellow tried a
last trick, which came near being the end of my hunting
altogether.

The trail turned suddenly to a high open ridge with scattered
thickets here and there. As they labored up the slope I had the