Coming to the last fringe of brushwood, they got down on their
hands and knees and moved on until the game was brought once more
into view.

The shot offered was certainly a good one, and in a few whispered
words the young hunters decided what they would do. Each was to aim
at his own deer and fire as many shots as he pleased. They took
their positions, and Snap asked if they were ready. A dead silence
followed.

"Fire!"

All of the shotguns went off in a volley, and then the shots came
scatteringly. Three of the deer went down, dead, and one was
mortally wounded. A big buck got a glancing shot in the flank, and,
mad with pain and terror, turned and leaped in the direction of the
young hunters.

"Look out!" ejaculated Shep. "He is coming for us!"

"Give him another shot!" yelled Giant. "My gun is empty."

Snap took hasty aim, but the shot only struck the buck in the
side. Then the beast came on, with lowered antlers, as if to
pin Snap against a tree.

At that moment Whopper fired, hitting the buck in the right foreleg.
Down went the animal, but struggled up a moment later and tried to
leap into the brushwood where Shep was concealed.

As he came down over the doctor's son, the boy was badly frightened
and gave the buck a shove with his hand. Weak from loss of blood
the beast fell over. Then Shep struck him a blow over the head with
the gun stock and Giant finished him with a shot at close range.
In the meantime the other deer that had been mortally wounded was
put out of its misery; and then the short but sharp contest came
to an end.

"What a haul!" ejaculated Snap, as he reloaded his weapon. "This
is something to make town folks stare!"

"We must send some of the deer home," put in Whopper.

"Yes, yes!" cried the others.

It was with tremendous pride that the four young hunters looked the
game over. The deer were young and tender, and the buck had a fine
head, fit for mounting.

"This haul will open the eyes of the Spink crowd," remarked Whopper.

"If they weren't so mean we might send them some venison," said Shep.

"They wouldn't thank you for it," broke in Giant. "They are too
high-toned for that sort of thing."

With so much game the boys hardly knew what to do. The deer were
heavy and it was all two of them cared to do carrying one between
them, hung from a pole.

"Well, we have got to get them to the lake somehow," said Snap.
"So the sooner we get at the job the better. Do