here need be no danger at all."

"I don't see as there would be any danger if we failed to find each
other before morning," said Sam; "we are not in a wild country where
Indians will hunt for us."

"There ain't any danger," said Herbert, "only it will be a great deal
more pleasant to spend the night together; you will feel safer by
knowing that I am with you with my patent breech-loader."

"Yes," said Nick, "for by keeping close to you there won't be half as
much likelihood of being hit when you fire at something else."

"I haven't tried yet," said Herbert; "my gun is a long-distance shooter:
there's where I get my work in. Show me a mark a good long distance off
and you'll open your eyes."

"Well, I declare, if that doesn't beat all!"

It was Sam Harper who uttered this exclamation. He had been gazing
steadily at a broad, flat rock about a quarter of a mile distant to the
northwest of them, and his words announced that he had made some
important discovery.

The peculiar tone in which he spoke caused the others to turn toward him
and ask the cause.

"Look at that yellowish white rock," he answered, pointing toward it,
"and tell me whether that isn't a little ahead of anything yet."

One brief searching glance showed that the young man had sufficient
cause for his excitement.

[Illustration: "Now I'll show you what my Creedmoor will do," said
Herbert Watrous.]

Standing on the top of the rock, so that his figure was thrown in clear
relief against the tinted sky behind him, was the very buck they had
been vainly chasing. He seemed to be looking back at the young hunters
as though he disdained their prowess and defied them to renew their
attempt to bring him down.

"_That's my chance!_" exclaimed Herbert, in excitement; "that's just my
distance; get out of my way! give me room! now I'll show you what my
Creedmoor will do, when aimed by a master of the art."

With great display and ceremony the youth prepared to give an exhibition
of shooting like that shown at the international matches. The others
stepped back, so as not to impede his movements, and he deliberately
threw off his cap, got down on his back, raised the rear sight, crossed
his feet and drew them half way up to his body, then rested the barrel
of his gun on the support thus furnished between the knees, and with his
left hand beneath his head, and turned so as to rest against the stock
of his gun, while his right was crooked around with the finge