ong the valley. He
was provoked at not having killed it at once, for he knew that if often
hunted the creatures would grow wild, and he would have great difficulty
in getting up to them. He, however, eager to secure the deer, set off
running, keeping it in sight. At first the wounded deer went almost as
fast as its companions, until it gradually slackened its speed, leaving
a long red trail, which grew thicker and thicker, to mark its course.
It was soon left behind by the rest of the herd; still it struggled on,
until at length Dick saw it stagger, then turn round and finally sink to
the ground. He hurried forward, and with a seaman's sheath-knife, which
he had found among the things in the carpenter's chest, he quickly put
an end to its sufferings.

The deer was so small that Dick, whose shoulders were pretty broad, was
able to carry home his prize. His wish was to preserve as much of it as
possible. He reflected that, as there were only a certain number of
deer on the island, were he and Lord Reginald to remain there any length
of time, the whole might be destroyed. Had he possessed salt, he would
have been able to pickle the venison, for there were plenty of tubs for
the purpose. Though he knew very well that he could obtain salt, yet
the flesh of the deer would have become uneatable long before he could
get a sufficient quantity. He had read somewhere of a mode of
preserving the flesh of animals by drying it in the sun, and he had also
seen his mother smoke bacon, so he determined to try both these ways.
The preserved meat might also be of the greatest use, should he
determine to sail away from the island in the canoe he was about to
build.

On reaching home, for such his hut was to him, he set to work to skin
and cut up the deer. He then lighted a fire, and put a shoulder and leg
on to roast, that he might at all events preserve this much, should his
experiments fail. A portion of the remainder he cut into thin strips,
which he hung up to a cross-pole, supported on two forked sticks. He
had great faith, however, in his plan for smoking venison. As there was
clay near at hand, he mixed a quantity with grass, and quickly built up
a square tower, with an entrance below and rafters across it, and a
wooden roof. As he knew that it would be necessary to have a draught to
keep up the fire, he formed tunnels under the tower.

He had now his curing-house complete. He worked very hard, as he was
aware that