save with sickles,
and could never hope to overtake the deer on foot, bounded after as fast
as they could lay legs to the ground, nor paused until utterly blown and
exhausted and the chase out of sight and hearing.

"Hah!" panted Browne flinging himself upon the ground; "I haven't been
breathed like that since I ran in the foot-race at home in Yorkshire
five year agone. Phew!"

Goodman only replied by inarticulate groans and wheezes, and while he
yet struggled for breath Nero came trotting back through the woods with
a mortified and contrite expression pervading his body from eloquent
eyes to abject tail, while Pike, as the spaniel was called, followed at
some distance with an affected carelessness of demeanor as if she would
have it clearly understood that she had been running solely for her own
pleasure, with no idea of chasing the deer. The men laughed, and patting
their favorites allowed them to lie and rest for some moments; then as
the air grew chill they rose and strolled in the direction, as they
supposed, of the clearing where they had left their comrades. But the
wood was thick, and several swampy hollows induced detours; the sun was
obscured by the gathering snow clouds, and neither man was skilled in
woodcraft; while the dogs, roaming at pleasure, were more intent upon
tracing various scents of game than of finding the way home. Thus it
came that as darkness began to gather visibly among the crowding
evergreens, and the last tinge of sunlight was buried in thickening
clouds, the two men stopped and looked each other squarely in the face.

"Yes, John," said Browne reading the frightened eyes of his younger and
less courageous companion. "Yes, lad, we're lost, and I doubt me must
pass the night in the woods."

"And we lack not only food but cloaks and weapons!" exclaimed Goodman
looking forlornly about him, and stooping to pat Pike, who scenting
disaster in the air had returned whimpering to her master's side.

"If we could but find some deserted hut of the salvages, or some of
their stored grain, or even the venison we disdained the other day,"
suggested Browne.

"We've seen no trace of such a thing to-day," replied Goodman
disconsolately.

"Come on, then, and let us look while daylight lingers. Mayhap the dogs
will lead us out if we put them to it. Hi, Nero! Home boy, home! Seek!"

Nero whimpered intelligently and trotted on for a mile or so, but with
none of that appearance of conviction which some