Guns And Snowshoes

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"Looked like a cow--but of course it couldn't be that.'

"Maybe it's was a moose!" cried Shep. "Let's go after him."

The thought that a moose might be so close at hand thrilled all the
boys, and without a moment's hesitation they started off in the
direction in which the strange animal had been seen.

"If it is a moose let me take a rifle shot at him," whispered Whopper.
"A bullet is what he'll want to lay him low."

"I'm willing you should have the first shot," said Snap.

The others also agreed that Whopper should be the first to fire--if
the game was really as large as expected--and the boy who loved to
exaggerate went to the front.

They had to climb a small hill, which came to an abrupt end beside
another gully. Here the bushes had been bent low by the wind and were
covered with drifted snow.

"Be careful--walking isn't very good here," cautioned Whopper. "The
ground seems to be spongy."

All ranged up to the edge of the gully and prepared to leap across. As
they did this, some of the bushes and the snow gave way, and down they
went in a heap, a distance of ten or a dozen feet. As they fell
Giant's shotgun went off with a bang that scared them greatly.

"Oh, dear!" gasped Snap, when he could free himself from the snow.
"What a tumble? Is anybody hurt?"

He gazed around, to find Whopper head first in a snow drift. He pulled
his chum out, and in the meantime Shep and Giant scrambled up.

"Did--did my shot hit anybody?" questioned the smaller member of the
club, anxiously.

"I'm safe," announced Snap.

"So am I," came from Whopper. "But say, I thought I was going to plow
through the snow clear to China!"

"The discharge went pretty close to my ear," announced Shep. And then,
as he began to realize the escape he had had, he grew slightly pale.

"I tried to keep the gun barrel pointed to a safe place," said Giant.
"But the fall came so quickly I had hardly time to think. I am
thankful nobody was struck. Had I hit anybody I should never have
forgiven myself!" And he shuddered.

"Be careful of the rest of the guns," said Whopper. "We don't want to
be blown out of this hole--we prefer to climb out--at least I do."

They looked to their firearms, and then gazed around the locality in
perplexity. The gully was long and narrow and both sides were covered
with ice and snow. The ground above, also covered with ice and snow,
was well out of their reach.

"Getting out is going to be no easy task," announced Snap. "Maybe
we'll have to, walk to the end of the gulch."

"Wait, perhaps I can climb out--if one of you will give me a boost,"
said the doctor's son.

The others were willing to have Shep make the trial, and Snap and
Whopper put down their guns and aided him by putting his feet in their
hands. Shep caught hold of some bushes and began to haul himself up
with all his strength.

"Hurrah! he is going to make it!" cried Giant, when snap! went the
bushes, and down rolled the doctor's son and plunged once more into
the snow.

"Whow!" he spluttered, as he arose and worked the snow from his collar
and his coat sleeves. "No more of that for me! Snap, don't you want to
try it?"

"No, I prefer to walk to where the gully is not so deep."

They struck out, to find the bottom of the gulch filled with bowlders,
bushes and snow. More than once one or another went down into a hollow
and had to be hauled out.

"Phew! but it's cold down here!" murmured Whopper. "My feet feel like
two cakes of ice."

"One of the delights of hunting in the winter time," observed Snap.
"Want to go home, Whopper?"

"Not for a million dollars and a mince pie thrown in," was the prompt
answer.

"Say, a piece of mince pie wouldn't go bad just now." said Shep,
smacking his lips.

"Don't mention it, please."

It took a quarter of an hour's hard journeying to reach a point where
the gully was only four or five feet deep, and here they left the
hollow with ease. They were now further away from the lake than ever
and in a locality that looked new to them.

"I don't remember this spot, although I thought we were all over this
ground last summer," observed Snap.

"A place looks different in winter from what it does in summer," said
Shep.

"Then that must be it."

"I reckon that moose must be 'steen miles from here by this time,"
said Whopper. "He must have heard Giant's gun go off."

As they could see nothing of the strange game, they agreed that
Whopper must be right in his surmise and so determined to look around
for other game. They circled the end of Firefly Lake, and then walked
a short distance in the direction of Lake Cameron.

"Wait!" called out Whopper, presently, "Snap, let me have your
shotgun." And he reached for the weapon.

"What do you see?"

"A wild turkey, and a big one, too."

Snap was willing that Whopper should have a try at the turkey, since
he seemed so disappointed at losing track of the big game, and so
passed over his shotgun. The wild turkey was roosting near the top of
a silver maple tree. Taking careful aim, Whopper blazed away.

To the astonishment of all, the wild turkey gave a flutter, sank back
on the tree limb and then became quiet.

"What in the world does that mean?" gasped Whopper, hardly believing
that he saw aright.

"Maybe you didn't hit him," suggested Giant.

"Didn't hit him--at such a short distance?" said Whopper, in disgust.
"Of course I hit him."

"Then why didn't he tumble down or fly away?" came from Shep.

"He'd fly quick enough--if he could," said Snap. "There is something
wrong with him. Maybe he is caught fast in the crotch of the limb."

Guns in hand the four boy hunters ran forward until they stood
directly under the silver maple. Here they could see the head and the
tail of the wild turkey, but that was all. The game did not offer to
move, even when Whopper set up a shout.

"He's dead and caught fast, I am sure of it," said Whopper. "If it
were otherwise he would surely flutter down or fly away."

"You'll have to do some climbing to get your game," said the doctor's
son.

"Well, I can do that, too--if you'll give me a boost," answered
Whopper, passing over the shotgun and laying aside his rifle.

The others assisted him to reach the lower limbs of the silver maple,
and up he went from one branch to another until he stood directly
beneath the wild turkey. He put forth his hand with caution.

"Be careful," cried Shep. "If the turkey is still alive he may show
fight and try to peck out your eyes."

Shielding himself as best he could, Whopper presently caught the
turkey by one foot. He pulled gently at first and then gave a strong
yank. Down came the game from the crotch of the tree, and Whopper
almost lost his balance. To save himself he let the game drop to the
ground and clutched at the tree branches nearest to him.

"Dead as a door nail!" he announced, as soon as he felt safe. "And I
knew it from the start. He didn't fall because he got caught, that's
all."

"Now you are up in the tree you had better take a look around and see
if any more game is it sight," called up Snap.

"I will."

While the others stamped around to keep warm, Whopper mounted to the
topmost branches of the silver maple. From this position he could
overlook a wide expanse of country. He gazed first to, the northward
and then over to the west.

"Hullo!" he yelled suddenly. "I see something worth going after."

"What?" questioned the others in concert.

"Two deer."

CHAPTER X

OUT AFTER DEER

"You see two deer?" queried Snap.

"Yes."

"How far from here?" questioned the doctor's son.

"A good quarter of a mile."

"Oh, that's not so far!" exclaimed Giant. "Come on after them,
fellows."

"Wait till I get down," said Whopper, coming as quickly as he could.
"Don't go ahead yet."

"How are we going ahead, since you are the only one that knows where
the game is?" answered the doctor's son.

As soon as Whopper was on the ground, they set off, taking the wild
turkey with them. The shot had entered the heart of the turkey,
killing it instantly, and its single flutter had only served to wedge
it fast in the tree crotch.

"Boys, it is growing colder," announced Snap, as they proceeded.

"As if we didn't know it," answered Giant, slapping his hands
together.

"And I think it is going to snow some more," went on Snap.

"Pooh! who cares!" cried Whopper. "I am going to get one of those deer
if I die for it."

"So say I!" put in Shep. "Remember, we ought to get quite some game on
hand, in case we get snowed in at the camp."

The sky had become overcast, and this was what made it seem colder.
The wind, too, was springing up, and they were glad to keep to the
sheltered portions of the ground so far as the journey after the deer
permitted.

Inside of fifteen minutes they covered more than a quarter of a mile.
Yet no deer were to be seen.

"Whopper, didn't you make some mistake?" asked Snap, coming to a halt.

"I am sure I saw the deer."

"Whopper must have been deceived in the distance," said Giant. "Things
look closer on the water, or when the ground is covered with snow."

"Perhaps that's it," answered Whopper. "Anyway, the deer were
somewhere out here, I'm sure."

Again they went on, but soon came to a series of rocks, where walking
was difficult. Giant slipped on one of the rocks and barked his left
shin.

"Oh dear!" he cried, in pain. "I don't like this much. It is a regular
Rocky Road to Dublin!"

"I don't feel like going much further," said Snap. "I think we ought
to go, back. See, it is starting in to snow," he added, as the flakes
began to fall.

The four boy hunters held a consultation, which almost ended in a
quarrel. Whopper was determined to go ahead after the deer and so was
Shep, while Snap and Giant insisted upon returning to the camp.

"I'll tell you what's let do," said Whopper. Two of us can go on and
two go back. That's fair."

"And the two to go back can take the game to camp," added Shep. "There
is no use of our carrying it with us. And, besides, if we get a deer,
that will be a big load for us."

"Aren't you afraid of a big snow coming on?" questioned Snap.

"Oh, this snow won't amount to anything," declared the doctor's son.

"Perhaps it will."

Snap and Giant took possession of all the game, and turned over to
Shep and Whopper the lunch that had been brought along.

"We can get what we want when we reach camp," said Snap. "And you may
need this before you get back."

"If I were you I wouldn't stay out too late," cautioned Giant. "If you
do, you may lose your way in the dark."

"We'll be safe enough," answered Whopper confidantly.

It was no light load for Snap and Giant to carry, for the turkey,
rabbits and squirrels were all big. They saw Shep and Whopper depart
and rested fully five minutes before taking to the back trail.

"I wish they had come with us," said the leader of the Gun Club. "I
doubt if they get a deer--the wind is blowing directly toward the
game."

"Well, they wanted to go so let them," answered Giant.

The barked shin hurt considerably and he was anxious to get back to
camp, that he might wash it and bathe it with witch hazel.

"Let us go up the lake and across on the ice," suggested Snap. "It
will be shorter, and we'll avoid that nasty gully and the rough
rocks."

They took to the course mentioned, and inside of half an hour reached
the lake front once more. It was now snowing steadily and the wind was
gradually rising.

"I said it was going to snow hard," grumbled Snap. "They should have
come with us. It won't be fit to be out in another hour."

"Well, they wanted their own way, so let them have it," answered his
companion.

They wished they had their skates to skate across a cove which
separated them from the camp. The bare spots on the ice were as
slippery as wet glass and they had to walk "as if on eggs," as Snap
expressed it. Once his right foot went from under him, and he measured
his length on his back, while his gun slid a dozen feet away.

"Come here and I'll pick you up," sang out Giant merrily, as soon as
he saw his chum was not hurt.

"That was a peachy fall," grumbled Snap, as he turned over and got up.
"Glad the gun didn't go off."

"Do you know what I am going to do--if it doesn't snow too hard?" said
Giant, as they walked on again. "Try my luck at fishing through a hole
in the ice. Fish will taste good for breakfast."

They were directly in the middle of the lake when a distant gunshot
reached their ears, followed by another. They halted and listened.

"Whopper and Shep must have found something to shoot at," remarked the
smaller member of the Gun Club.

"Or else there are other hunters in this vicinity. I shouldn't be
surprised if Jed Sanborn is out."

"Yes, and a dozen others, for the matter of that."

By the time they had crossed the lake the wind was blowing furiously,
sending the snow whirling over the smooth ice in long white streaks.
More than half out of breath, the two young hunters were glad enough
to reach the shelter of the trees and bushes.

"It's going to be a corker," was Snap's comment. "Just listen to the
wind whistling through the trees!"

"I don't think I'll try fishing just yet," said Giant. "I might get
frozen fast to the ice."

"Fishing will have to wait, Giant. Come on into the Inn."

They were glad enough to enter the shelter and rest for a few minutes.
Then, when they had regained their breath, both set about building a
fire. Luckily they had saved some dry bark and brushwood, so starting
the blaze was comparatively easy. They heaped on several medium-sized
sticks and then a good back and a front log, and soon the fire was
roaring merrily. The home-made chimney was wide open at the top, so a
good deal of heat was lost, yet enough remained below to warm the
shelter nicely.

"I tell you, a fire makes all the difference in the world!" declared
Snap, as he pulled off his outer coat and cap and sat down close to
the chimney. "No matter how forlorn or lonely a fellow feels, a fire
is bound to brighten him up and make him feel on better terms with
himself."

"Right you are, Snap. I pity the fellow who gets left in the woods
without a match, or the wherewith to start a camp-fire," answered
Giant, who was using the witch hazel on his ankle.

As soon as they were warm, the two boys set to work to cook themselves
a substantial meal. They prepared sufficient for all hands, thinking
that Shep and Whopper would be back in an hour or two at the most.

"They won't stay out very long--with this snowstorm on," remarked
Snap. "They know what such a storm means as well as we do."

Before leaving camp that morning Giant had made some bread dough and
set it for raising. This was now in good shape and he kneaded it over
and made some loaves and some muffins. The muffins they used for their
meal, along with more beans and some stewed squirrel, and a pot of hot
chocolate. They ate leisurely, at the same time keeping their ears on
the alert for the coming of their companions. Three times during the
meal Snap went to the doorway, to gaze out.

"They are foolish not to come back before it gets night," he said. "If
they don't look out they'll be snow-bound."

"Oh, Snap, do you think so?" cried the smaller member of the club, in
alarm.

"It might happen, Giant. Just look how it is snowing! Why, I can't see
a hundred feet from the Inn!"

Giant came to the opening and peered forth. Snap was right, the snow
was coming down thickly, and the fierce wind sent it swirling in all
directions. The landscape on all sides was completely blotted out.

"Oh, if only they had come back with us!" murmured Giant.

Both of the boys sighed and returned to the fireside, finishing their
meal in silence. They were much worried, more than they cared to admit
to each other.

The meal over, Giant warmed some water and washed the few tin dishes
and other things which had been dirtied. Snap put another log on the
fire, and then got out the acetylene bicycle lamp that had been
brought along.

"What are you going to do with that?" questioned Giant.

"Light it and hang it out for a searchlight," answered Snap. "It may
aid them in finding the Inn."

The gas lamp was soon fizzing and then Snap applied a match. As it
flashed up, he regulated the light and then the affair was taken
outside and hung where its rays might flash forth through the storm
and across the cove of the lake.

"They can see that quite a distance, even through the flying snow,"
said the leader of the Gun Club. "And they'll want all the light they
can get, to find their way back."

He and Giant sat down again in front of the roaring fire. They watched
the sparks fly upward and the ruddy glare showed a concerned look on
the face of each. They did not care to read or play any game, and
talked in low tones, each with his ears strained to catch any sound
from without.

Slowly one hour after another went by, until the darkness of night lay
over the camp. The snow came down as thickly as ever and the wind
shrieked dismally through the leafless trees. Time and again the two
boys had gone to the doorway to look out, and Snap had even run down
to the very edge of the lake.

"It's no use," he said finally. "They are snowbound and can't get
here. If only they are safe!"

"Yes, if only they are safe!" echoed Giant.

CHAPTER XI

SNOWBOUND

Left to themselves, Shep and Whopper started off briskly after the
deer that had been seen from the top of the tree.

"We must get at least one of 'em by all means," said Shep. "It won't
do to go back to the camp skunked."

"We shan't be skunked," answered Whopper, confidantly. "If there are a
dozen, we'll bag the lot of them!"

The trail was by no means as easy as they had anticipated, and they
had to pick their way around the rocks and through the brushwood with
care. Once Whopper slid down one of the rocks and landed on his back
with a thump that took the wind out of him completely.

"Cats and carrots!" he gasped. "Say, but that was a hard one, right
enough!"

"Trying to split the rock?" asked Shep, helping him up.

"No, I was only testing it, to see how soft it was," growled Whopper.

Soon the two boys found themselves going up a small hill. The climb
was rather discouraging, until Whopper let out a soft cry, and then
motioned for silence.

"See 'em?" queried his chum, in a whisper.

"No, but there are the tracks, as plain as day!"

Whopper was right, the deer tracks were there, although partly covered
by the falling snow. At the sight of them the spirits of the boy
hunters arose wonderfully. They forgot how tired they were, and pushed
forward at a faster gait than ever before.

"Won't we surprise them when we come back with such game!" said Shep.

"I think so, Shep. They didn't really think we'd get anything,"
answered Whopper.

On and on went the boys, the trail of the deer becoming plainer at
every step. They did not notice how much ground they were covering nor
in what direction they were moving. They had "deer fever" and had it
hard.

Presently they came to the top of the rise of ground. Beyond was a
patch of scrub timber, where, years before, a forest fire had wiped
out the best of the trees. Looking ahead they saw four deer walking
slowly along near some brushwood.

"There they are!" cried Shep, and brought his gun around for use.

At that moment the deer turned partly around and looked squarely at
the boys. They were evidently taken completely by surprise and their
heads went up high as they discovered the enemy. Then, without further
hesitation they leaped forward, toward the dense timber ahead.

Bang! went Shep's shotgun, and crack! came the sharp report of
Whopper's rifle. Before the echoes had died away the last of the deer
leaped high in the air, made a part turn and then came down heavily.
Then it got up, ran several paces and fell again and began to kick.

"I hit him!"

"So did I!"

"Let's try for another!"

But to try for another was out of the question. With the fall of the
hind one, the others reached the shelter of the dense timber and in a
second more were completely out of sight, and running as only
frightened deer can run when they know it is a case of life or death
for them.

When the two young hunters reached the side of the fallen deer it was
just breathing its last.

The bullet from the rifle had entered its side and the buckshot had
struck in the neck and shoulder.

"We both brought him down," said Shep.

"Pity we didn't get the others," grumbled Whopper.

"Well, one is better than nothing."

"Oh, I know that, and I am thankful as far as that goes. Will it be
worth while to go after the others, do you think?"

"No. They'll run too far before they stop."

The deer was of fair size, and looked as if it would make good eating.
They inspected the game with much interest, turning it over and
lifting it up.

"Pretty heavy," announced Whopper. "We'll have all we want to do to
carry it to camp."

"Just what I was thinking. And say, just look how it is snowing!"

The two young hunters gazed about them and were a good deal startled.
It was growing dark and the leaden air seemed to be filled with snow.
They had paid little attention to the wind, but now realized that it
was rising steadily.

"The best thing we can do is to make for camp," said Shep. "If we
don't--" He did not finish.

"You think we'll be snowbound?"

"Doesn't it look like it?"

"I must admit, it does."

Alarmed more than they cared to mention, both boys prepared to return
to the Inn without delay. They selected a slender sapling and cut it
down with a hunting knife Shep carried. They trimmed off the limbs,
thus making of it a pole. To this they slung the deer, tied fast by
the front and the hind legs. Then Whopper took the front end of the
load and Shep the rear end, and thus they set off in the direction
they had come.

For perhaps a quarter of a mile all went well, for, despite the
falling snow, they managed to keep to the tracks they had made in
following the deer. Then, of a sudden, Whopper came to a halt and
Shep, of course, had to do likewise.

"What's up?" asked the latter.

"I can't see the trail anymore. The falling snow has covered it
completely."

Whopper was right, as Shep realized with much alarm. Both of the young
hunters gazed around in perplexity. The whirling snow hid the
landscape from view. In a moment more, turning this way and that, they
were completely bewildered.

"Well, I declare!" burst out Shep. "Hang me if I know where I am!"

"I think the lake is in that direction," announced Whopper, after a
painful pause.

"Maybe you are right--I don't know." There seemed to be no sense in
standing still, with the snow coming down thicker every minute and the
wind whistling dismally all around them. On they went, for at least a
quarter of a mile further. The rocks bothered them a great deal and
twice both fell, dropping their load as they did so. "This is the
finest pleasure stroll I ever took in my life," was Whopper's rather
sarcastic comment. "Such level walking, and such nice bright sunshine,
with birds singing and--Oh!" And his speech came to an end as he went
down again, this time into a hollow of snow and dead leaves up to his
knees.

"Are you hurt?" asked Shep.

"Not enough to weep over," was the answer. "But, no joking, this is
fierce! I wish I was back to camp."

"So do I, Whopper. But wishing won't take us there--we've got to
walk."

"Isn't it getting dark!"

"Yes, and just listen to that wind!"

By this time, both of the young hunters were scared, although neither
mentioned it. Again they went on, but only for a dozen rods. Then both
halted and stared in front of them in amazement.

"What's this?"

"We aren't going toward the lake at all!"

Before them was a slight hollow and beyond a cliff of rocks all of
twenty to thirty feet high. On the top of the cliff grew a number of
large trees and several of these had, in times past, been blown over,
their tops resting in the hollow below while the roots still clung
fast near the top of the cliff.

"Did you ever see this spot before?" asked Shep.

"Not that I can remember," answered his chum. "But I am sure it is not
near the lake."

The young hunters were more alarmed than ever. They felt that they
must be miles from camp. Night was now upon them, and the storm,
instead of clearing away, was growing worse every minute.

"I don't think we can reach camp to-night," said Shep, as bravely as
he could, although his voice trembled slightly. "We'll have to try and
make ourselves as comfortable as possible elsewhere."

"What, right out here in the woods!"

"No, we can hunt for some sort of shelter, Whopper."

"Don't you think we can find the lake? If we once found that we could
keep on along the shore until we struck our camp."

"I don't believe we can locate the lake in this darkness and with the
snow coming down so thickly. Why, look around! You can't see at all!"

Whopper did gaze around, and had to admit that Shep was right. They
were shut in by the storm, which seemed to grow wilder and wilder.

With heavy hearts the boys drew closer to the cliff, as that seemed to
afford some shelter from the wind, which cut like a knife. In the
darkness they stumbled into the hollow and then between two of the
fallen trees.

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