CHAPTER XI.
OVERTAKEN BY DARKNESS.
It must have been a long time after the noon hour when Step Hen did ashe had promised, called a halt in order that they might eat their lunch,and take a rest.
As the cold was still with them, though the snow had thus far amountedto but little, Step Hen insisted on starting a small fire, at which theycould sit, and be comfortable, while they devoured the food provided forthe midday meal.
"You make a fire as quick as the next one, Step Hen," admitted Thad,really meaning what he said, and at the same time wishing to raise thedrooping spirits of his hunting mate, who was feeling very sore over theloss of his game.
"Oh! I don't pretend to know much about starting a blaze in half a dozenstyles, the way Giraffe's got it down pat," observed the other, smilinga little; "but if you pin me down to going at it the easiest way, withmatches, and dead pine cones, why I'm there every time. And say, it doesfeel some handy, don't it, Thad?"
They sat there, and chatted for quite a long time after they hadconsumed the last morsel of food. And during that resting spell Step Henpicked up many a crumb of useful knowledge concerning the ways of thewoods. Thad did not know all that Allan Hollister had learned throughpractical experience; but he had made the most of his opportunities whenbelonging to that other troop of scouts; and never forgot what helearned.
"Let's be agoin' on again," remarked Step Hen, finally, scrambling tohis feet, and picking up his little rifle with a new eagerness.
"Feel like another spell of it, eh?" asked the patrol leader, followingsuit.
"That's what I do," replied the other. "Nothing like a rest, and a bite,when you're pretty near played out. I'm feeling fine and dandy again,and ready for several hours' hard tramping. But something just seems totell me we'll never again have such a chance to get a six-pronged buckas that. And to think how it should a been just what the boys weretelling me to knock over. I wonder now----"
"What?" asked Thad, as his chum came to a sudden stop.
"P'raps you'll say I'm silly if I tell you; but anyhow, here goes, Thad.It just struck me all of a sudden that we might go back to where we lostour deer, and do a little trailing on our own account. Them threefellers wouldn't bother trying to hide their tracks, and chances arethey've gone into camp to eat some of that venison by this time, if notsooner."
Thad smiled; he could not help it, upon hearing Step Hen talk in thisstrain; for only too plainly did he remember how white the other hadbeen, and how even his voice trembled when he spoke, while facing thosethree poachers.
"And after we've managed to track them to their camp, what then?" hedemanded.
Step Hen looked wonderfully brave as he instantly replied:
"Why, we might catch 'em off their guard, and hold 'em up. That deerbelongs to _me_, and I'd just like to have it the worst kind,especially that head, with the six-pronged antlers on it. But if youthought that proposition a little too risky, Thad, why we might concludeto wait around, keeping under cover, till it got plumb dark. Then wecould carry off as much of the buck as we could tote, including thehead; and them fellers not be any the wiser for it, till it was too lateto follow us! How's that?"
Thad nearly had his breath taken away by the boldness of Step Hen'sastonishing proposals. He looked at the other, and a smile spreadcompletely across his face. Then he puckered up his lips, and gave alittle whistle, that somehow caused Step Hen to turn a bit red in theface.
"Whew!" ejaculated Thad, "I never before suspected what a fire-eater youcould be, Step Hen. Why, nothing fazes you, nowadays. I believe you'd beready to snap your fingers in the faces of a dozen of the worst rascalsthat ever hid up here in the piney woods of Maine. But I'm afraid that'stoo risky a job for me to back up, as the leader of the patrol. I feelthe burden of responsibility too much to allow it. What could I say toyour father and mother if there was no Step Hen to answer to theroll-call, when we mustered out after this Maine hunt? So, on the whole,Step Hen, much as I hate to disappoint you, I'm afraid I'll have to puta damper on your scheme."
"Oh! all right, Thad," quickly remarked the other, with an evident veinof relief in his voice; "I was only telling you what came into my head.You see, that's the way with me; I'm always having these brilliantplans, though my own good sense won't let me try to carry them out. Sowe'll just continue our old hunt; and hope another buck may heave insight. But if one does, please let fly the same time I shoot, Thad;because we hadn't ought to take any chances of his getting away. Youwill, won't you, Thad?"
"Why, yes, I think I'm entitled to a shot by now, Step Hen," replied theother; "seeing that I held back purposely, so as to let you have all theglory of getting that first prize. But as you say, we need venison; andthe next time we'll shoot together so's to make sure."
"Good! Then let's be moving, Thad."
Since Step Hen was so set upon doing everything in their power toretrieve the misfortune that had come upon them earlier in the day, bymeans of which they had lost the first deer, Thad meant to try his levelbest in order to run across another like prize.
Whenever he saw a piece of ground that looked more than ordinarilypromising he would head that way, regardless of distance or direction.Little Thad cared as to whether they were able to return to camp thatnight or not. He had spent too many nights in the open, not to feelcertain that he could manage to be at least fairly comfortable. Andthen, too, Thad had the hunter's instinct pretty fully developed, andthought little of fatigue when pursuing his favorite sport.
They kept moving in this way until the afternoon began to be pretty wellspent. Thad would not think of offering again to head toward the camp onthe shore of the lake, so long as Step Hen made no complaint. He couldnot afford to be outdone by a tenderfoot, and he the patrol leader atthat.
Indeed, the gray of evening had commenced to spread around them when,with no more warning than before, they came upon a second buck that hadpossibly been lying down in the bushes.
The deer sprang away like lightning, and perhaps it was just as wellthat Step Hen had asked his companion to shoot with him; for theflitting buck made rather a difficult target to hit in that poor light.
So close together did the two lads fire that the reports blended, thoughthe louder bang of the smooth-bore partly drowned the sharper report ofthe little repeating rifle.
Thad started to run forward, holding his gun in readiness for a seconddischarge, if such were needed. Step Hen trailed along after him,working desperately with his pump-gun; and like most excitablegreenhorns, trying every which way to work the simple mechanism but theright way, in his eagerness to get the weapon in serviceable conditionagain.
"Oh! _did_ we get him, Thad?" he cried; for possibly the smoke ofthe double discharge had interfered with his vision, and he did not knowwhether the deer had dropped, or sped unharmed out of sight, even beforethe alert Thad could give him the contents of his second barrel.
"Looks like we'll have venison for supper to-night, anyway," laughedThad.
And then, Step Hen, looking more closely ahead, saw a slight movement onthe ground, which he realized must be the last expiring kick of theirquarry.
His spirits arose at once, and he gave a wild whoop of joy.
"Bully! bully!" he exclaimed, as he still ran forward after his chum;"we did get him all right, didn't we, Thad? And I'd just like to see anywoods' thief try to hook _this_ deer away from us. Don't you let'em do it, Thad, will you, even if we have to fight for it?"
"Don't worry," said Thad, as they came to a halt over the fallen buck;"we're not going to have any trouble--not from that source, anyway."
If Step Hen had been less excited he might have noticed that the wordsof his companion seemed to admit of their having trouble of anotherkind; but just then the tenderfoot was too much wrapped up in otherthings.
"Oh! that's too bad, Thad!" he remarked.
"What is?" asked the other; "both of us hit him, all right; for there'sthe place your bullet went in; and these smaller holes show where mybuckshot struc
k."
"But look at his antlers, would you, Thad?" the other went on; "why,this is only a two-year-old, I sure reckon, because he's got only twoprongs on his horns."
"Well so much the better for us, when we start to eat him," chuckledThad; "because the meat'll be just that much more tender, you see."
"Then let's get busy, and cut him up, Thad," Step Hen went on. "Seems tome night's coming right along down on us; and the chances are we'll beawful late getting back to camp."
What Thad really thought he did not take the trouble to mention; but nodoubt he had long before then made up his mind that they would nevermake camp that evening, for he felt that Step Hen must be nearly all in.
He did start to work, however, and with the other to assist in variousways, managed to get the deer cut up, after a fashion. The meat theyexpected to carry with them, together with the head, which Step Henwould not think of leaving behind, was made up into two packs, so thateach of them might carry a fair portion.
By that time it was pitch dark. Indeed, Step Hen had to kindle anotherlittle fire of dry pine cones in order that the operation of getting themeat secured might be brought to a finish.
"Wow! just look how dark it is!" exclaimed Step Hen, when finally Thadannounced that he was ready to go on, after getting his bearings, whichhe did easily by sighting the North star, the clouds having veryconveniently disappeared, and all present danger of a heavy snowfallvanishing with their going.
Step Hen was rather slow and clumsy about getting his load fastened, andThad had to assist him. He knew full well what was the matter. The otherwas really dead tired, and could hardly put one foot before the otherwithout a great effort. He had been artificially kept up by theexcitement until the game was secured, and now the reaction was settingin.
They had been slowly moving along for about ten minutes, when from alittle distance away there broke out a strange sound that, heard underthose peculiar conditions, struck Step Hen as more blood-curdling thanhe had ever thought it before, when sitting safely in a camp beside acozy fire, and surrounded by comrades.
It was that same long-drawn howl of the Canada gray wolf; and as helistened to a second answering cry from another quarter, somehow StepHen found himself shuddering.