CHAPTER XIII.
A FISH AND A SNAKE.
"Look out, Darry, or he'll kill you!"
"Look out for yourself, Joe!"
These cries were followed by two shots, as both the young huntersdischarged their weapons. But in their haste the aim of each was poor,and the bullets flew wide of the mark. Then the maddened deer camecloser, and both boys took to their heels, running as they had never runbefore.
"Hi! what's up?" came in old Benson's voice.
"The deer are after us!" yelled Joe. "Shoot 'em quick!"
Hardly had the lad spoken when he felt one of the deer close behind him.He leaped to one side, and the animal charged past with great vigor,considering how badly he was wounded. But that charge was his last, forBenson's rifle spoke up, and the animal fell lifeless where he stood.
In the meantime Darry was having his hands full with the second deer.The youth had been unable to reload, and now he found himself in athicket, with the deer fairly on top of him. He caught his firearm bythe barrel and hit the animal a resounding blow on the head. This madethe deer stagger back and pause.
"Help! help!" yelled the boy. "Somebody shoot this beast!"
"I'm coming!" came in Captain Moore's voice. "Where are you?"
"Here, in the bush! Quick, or he'll stick me to death!"
The deer was now charging with lowered head. He was in a fearful rage.As he came on there was a sharp report, and the young captain burst intoview, his rifle barrel still smoking. Then the deer gave one last leapinto the air, and came down upon Darry. The fall knocked the boysenseless.
While Captain Moore was removing the weight from Darry's body, the oldscout came up, followed by Joe.
"Hullo, he got it, did he?" said Benson. "Is he badly hurt?"
"I hope not," answered the young captain. "You see, the deer didn'ttouch him until I fired. Then he leaped up and knocked my cousin down."
"Hope there aint any bones broken."
The deer was removed, and Benson went off to get some water. When hecame back Captain Moore and Joe were rubbing Darry's wrists. The waterwas dashed into the unconscious youth's face, and soon he gave a gaspand opened his eyes.
"The deer?" were his first words.
"You are safe," said the captain reassuringly. "The deer is dead."
"Oh!" Darry uttered a sigh of relief. "I was thinking he was goring meto pieces."
"You had a narrow escape," put in old Benson. "If it hadn't been for thecaptain he would have mauled you for certain. Didn't you hear me yell tobe careful?"
"I thought it would be an easy matter to bring him down, after he waswounded," said Darry, still gasping for breath.
"Any bones broken?" questioned Captain Moore.
"I--I guess not." Darry gave a sigh and sat up. "How did Joe make out?"
"I am all right," answered that individual. "Benson did the trick for methough. Benson, I owe you a good deal."
"And I owe you a good deal," said Darry, turning to his cousin.
"I'm glad I came up, Darry," answered the young captain. "After thisboth you and Joe must be more careful. If either of you had been killedI would never have forgiven myself for bringing you out on the hunt."
"I want to give you both a bit of advice, and I want you to remember ittoo," came from the old scout. "Never get too close to big game untilyou are certain of what you are doing, and be extry careful of big gamethat is wounded and cornered. Even a sneaking fox will turn on you if hesees there is no other way out of his difficulty."
"I'll remember that," answered both Joe and Darry, and they didremember, and thus was one peril of big-game hunting abolished.
Darry felt too weak for the time being to do much, so Joe led him backto where they had left the horses, while Captain Moore and old Bensontook upon themselves the task of bringing in the four deer. Each was abeautiful prize, and the quartet made an imposing sight when hung up ona couple of tree branches.
"The colonel will like this haul," said the young captain. "It will meanprime venison for some days to come. Benson, I wish we could get some ofit back to the fort without delay--so we can put it on ice and keep itnice."
"I'll take 'em all to the fort to-night, if you say so," answered thescout. "I can take one on my horse, and load the other three on one ofthe other animals."
"Then do that, and while at the fort ask the colonel if he will give mepermission to remain out until Saturday. Tell him we think we can bringin something for all hands to enjoy."
"I'll do it," said the old scout.
Soon the deer were packed on the horses, old Benson having first cutsome steaks from the smallest of the game, to leave behind.
"Take good care of yourselves while I am gone," he said on departing."And you, Joe and Darry, mind what I told you about getting cornered."Then he was off, and a turn in the mountain trail soon hid him fromview.
"A fine old fellow," was Joe's comment, when Benson was gone.
"He is that," answered the young captain. "I liked him from the firsttime I saw him, and I have never had cause to regret it. He is a goodhunter, an excellent scout, and has done us many a good turn."
"What shall we do while he is absent?" questioned Darry.
"Oh, we can try our hand at small game and we can fish!" answered theyoung captain. "As it is, I reckon both of you would just as lief takeit easy until morning."
"I would. That deer on me has made me feel sore all over."
They were soon in camp again, and while the boys rested Captain Moorestirred around and showed them how the soldiers prepared their meals. Hecooked the steaks to a turn, and boiled a pot of coffee, and these, withsome crackers they had brought along, made a most excellent meal. Beingin no hurry, they took their time over the repast, and it was dark longbefore they finished.
"It's going to be a fine night, so we can sleep under the trees withoutfear," said the young captain.
"Don't you think some wild animals will attack us?"
"Not if we keep our camp-fire burning."
The boys brought in plenty of brush and some heavier wood, and arrangedit so that it would burn for a long while, doing this by forming thestuff into something of a circle. Then the horses were looked after, andeach retired, with his blanket rolled around him to keep off themountain dew, which was already showing itself.
When the boys awoke the sun was shining brightly into their faces. For amoment each stared at the other.
"Gracious, I never slept so soundly in my life!" cried Joe. "I couldn'thave done better in a bed at home."
"Nor I," returned his cousin. "I can tell you, sleeping in the open airwhen it doesn't rain is all right."
But when Darry got up on his feet he changed his tune. The fall of theday previous, combined with the night air, had made him woefully stiff,and it was a good half-hour before he became limbered up.
They found Captain Moore already stirring, and the kettle over the firewas boiling merrily. The captain himself was trying his luck at a brooknot a great distance off.
"I saw some fish in here some weeks ago," he explained. "I thought Imight get a couple for breakfast. But you lads will have to wait until Istrike luck."
"I'm willing to wait," said Joe. "There is nothing to do, is there,until Benson gets back?"
"Nothing that I know of, unless you want to fish or go after some smallgame. I want to hear what he has to say. If the colonel won't let mestay out, I'll have to return to the fort to-night."
It did not take long for Captain Moore to land several good-sizedspecimens of the finny tribe, and these the boys took turns at preparingfor eating, while the captain continued to fish. The balance of themorning was passed at the brook, and, strange to say, the captain andJoe were both quite successful, while Darry hardly got a bite.
"I'm going to try my luck further up the stream," announced the boy. "Ibelieve we are all fishing too closely together."
"That doesn't seem to hurt my luck," said Joe.
Darry was soon climbing the rocks leading up the b
rook. The way wasrough, but he was growing used to this life in the open air and heenjoyed even the hardship, if such it can be called.
"That ought to make a good fishing-hole," he said to himself, as hereached a point where several big rocks hung over the water's edge."It's dark down there, and that's what some fish like."
He prepared his bait with care, and then dropped his line into the hole.Almost immediately he felt a nibble, and, giving a jerk, found he hadcaught something that was both large and powerful.
"Gracious, it must be a whopper!" he muttered, as the fish darted hitherand thither. Then he braced back on the rock, to play the game, forbringing in the catch at once seemed out of the question. The pole bentgreatly, and he was afraid it would snap on him.
He could not stand on the slippery rock very well, and so stepped behindit, on a number of loose stones. Hardly had he done so when he heard astrange hissing. Looking down, he saw a snake glide from under the rock.In a moment more the angry reptile faced him.