ous bluejay.

At length he came to a spring in a low hollow, and leaving his bow and
arrows on a dry log, he went down to get a drink.

As he arose, he found himself face to face with a doe and a fat,
little yearling buck, only twenty yards away. They stared at him, quite
unalarmed, and, determining to add the yearling to his bag, Rolf went
back quietly to his bow and arrows.

The deer were just out of range now, but inclined to take a curious
interest in the hunter. Once when he stood still for a long time,
they walked forward two or three steps; but whenever he advanced, they
trotted farther away.

To kill a deer with an arrow is quite a feat of woodcraft, and Rolf was
keen to show his prowess; so he kept on with varying devices, and was
continually within sight of the success that did not actually arrive.

Then the deer grew wilder and loped away, as he entered another valley
that was alive with pigeons.

He was feeling hungry now, so he plucked the pigeon he had secured, made
a fire with the flint and steel he always carried, then roasted the bird
carefully on a stick, and having eaten it, felt ready for more travel.

The day was cloudy, so he could not see the sun; but he knew it was
late, and he made for camp.

The country he found himself in was entirely strange to him, and the
sun's whereabouts doubtful; but he knew the general line of travel and
strode along rapidly toward the place where he had left the canoe.

After two hours' tramping, he was surprised at not seeing the lake
through the trees, and he added to his pace.

Three hours passed and still no sign of the water.

He began to think he had struck too far to the north; so corrected his
course and strode along with occasional spells of trotting. But another
hour wore away and no lake appeared.

Then Rolf knew he was off his bearings. He climbed a tree and got a
partial view of the country. To the right was a small hill. He made for
that. The course led him through a hollow. In this he recognized two
huge basswood trees, that gave him a reassuring sense. A little farther
he came on a spring, strangely like the one he had left some hours
ago. As he stooped to drink, he saw deer tracks, then a human track. He
studied it. Assuredly it was his own track, though now it seemed on the
south side instead of the north. He stared at the dead gray sky, hoping
for sign of sun, but it gave no hint. He tramped off hastily toward the
hill that promised a l