Chapter 21. Rolf's First Deer
Anxious to lose no fine day they had worked steadily on the
shanty, not even going after the deer that were seen occasionally
over the lake, so that now they were out of fresh meat, and Rolf
saw a chance he long had looked for. "Quonab, I want to go out
alone and get a deer, and I want your gun.
"Ugh! you shall go. To-night is good."
"To-night" meant evening, so Rolf set out alone as soon as the
sun was low, for during the heat of the day the deer are commonly
lying in some thicket. In general, he knew enough to travel up
wind, and to go as silently as possible. The southwest wind was
blowing softly, and so he quickened his steps southwesterly which
meant along the lake. Tracks and signs abounded; it was
impossible to follow any one trail. His plan was to keep on
silently, trusting to luck, nor did he have long to wait. Across
a little opening of the woods to the west he saw a movement in
the bushes, but it ceased, and he was in doubt whether the
creature, presumably a deer, was standing there or had gone on.
"Never quit till you are sure," was one of Quonab's wise adages.
Pages:
104
105
106
107
108
109
110
111
112
113
114
115
116
117
118
119
120
121
122
123
124
125
126
127
128