turn in a few days, and then, if his brothers are still
gone, he will hunt for them."

This was not a satisfactory conclusion, but he followed it with his
usual promptness. He was in the very act of rising from the ground, when
his quick ear caught a faint footfall. Like a flash he raised his head,
and observed a noble buck approaching the water with the purpose of
drinking from it. It was not to be expected that the animal had any fear
of hunters in such a solitary place, and he came forward with a proud
step, as though master of the wilderness.

The Shawanoe waited until he was within fifty feet, when the buck
stopped short, and threw up his head as though he scented danger in the
air. At that instant Deerfoot bounded to his feet as if thrown upward by
a spring-board, and with a slight whoop, dashed straight at the animal,
swinging his arms and jumping from side to side in the most grotesque
fashion.

Few animals of the forest are more timid than the deer, which, like the
bear, is found in almost every portion of the American continent. The
buck with one swift whirl on his hoofs, faced the other way, and was off
like an arrow, shooting between the trees, through the undergrowth, and
bounding over obstructions as though they were not worth his notice. The
ordinary hunter might have found time to fire one shot, when the game
would have vanished like a bird on the wing, before he could reload; but
the occasion was a good one for Deerfoot to display his wonderful
fleetness, and he was in the mood to do so. He had made his gestures and
uttered his cries for the very purpose of terrifying the animal into
doing his utmost, and he did it.

With his head thrown back, so that his antlers almost rested on his
back, he plunged forward with amazing swiftness; but when he had gone
two hundred yards, he saw the same light, willowy figure almost on his
haunch. He even flung up his arms and shouted again, as if urging him to
a higher rate of speed. And such was the truth; Deerfoot was running as
fast as the game, and he was able to run still faster.

The buck bounded up a steep slope, and with one tremendous leap cleared
a craggy rock in his path. He had barely done so, when the young
Shawanoe was after him, going over with a lightness and grace that
showed no special effort. The pursuer was on his haunches, and the
animal, with glaring eyeballs and a horrified sniff, seemed to bound off
with the speed of the wind. But of what av