CHAPTER XII
THE QUEST OF THE PHANTOM DEER
The dogs were tugging at their leashes, having already scented thetrail, when Lilly called his hunters about him to give them theirdirections. It was decided that Tad Butler and Stacy Brown were toproceed to the north, posting themselves between two ridges of canein the swamp, and there to wait until they were called in by theguide's horn later in the day.
Ned was given a post to the south, while Walter Perkins and theProfessor were to remain with Lilly. Taking all things intoconsideration the three boys who were to guard the north and southwere in much the better positions, as it was believed that the bearswould take one of these two directions, breaking from ridge to ridgeuntil they found a hiding place in one or the other of the canebrakeridges.
Tad and Ned were each equipped with a bush-knife, with a horn to eachparty. Lilly considered that the boys needed no further advice fromhim, the lads having had experience with bear before this and allbeing good shots and well-tried hunters at big game.
"Look out that you don't get lost if you get on a chase," he warned."One is likely in the excitement of a chase to forget to blaze histrail. It isn't any use to get game if you can't get back to campwith it."
The boys knew this, too. Stacy declared that such a little thing asthe canebrake didn't worry him in the least; that he could find hisway out with his eyes shut.
"Don't try it," warned the guide tersely.
"I am glad I haven't the responsibility of looking after Chunky,"chuckled Ned Rector. "Tad, you have your work cut out for you."
"All take your positions. We will wait here until you have done so,then we will free the dogs. Blow your horns, one long blast when youare ready, then lie low," directed the guide.
"Come on, Chunky; I'm off," cried Tad, springing into his saddle,armed with rifle, bush-knife, horn and hunting knife, Chunky havingthe usual equipment without the bush-knife and horn.
The two boys fought their way through the jungle and were soon out ofsight and sound of their companions. Ned, too, was on his way to hispost, thus placing the two outside parties about five miles apart,with the guide, Professor Zepplin and Perkins, somewhere midwaybetween the outside parties.
After some time had elapsed, Ned's horn was heard. He had farther togo than Tad. The latter's horn sounded fully half an hour afterNed's.
Lilly unleashed the dogs, and with joyful yelps they scattered,diving into the thick cane, darting here and there, in search of thetrail, which they found, and started away in a very few minutes. Tothe surprise of Lilly, the dogs headed west instead of going eithernorth or south, as he had looked for them to do.
"He will round back sooner or later and break for the other ridges,"was the guide's confident prediction. "The boys will get a chance atthe bear unless I am greatly mistaken."
Lilly and his two companions now started at break-neck speed inpursuit of their dogs. Through cane, through soft, swampy land theyurged their ponies, slashing to the right and left with thebush-knife. The yelping of the dogs could be heard far ahead of them.
"Good trail," observed Lilly. "The hounds are making excellent time.That's a favorable sign."
"But we shan't get a shot at the game if it is going so far away,"objected Walter.
"You can't tell about that. The bears are just as likely to doubleback here as to go on. You never can tell about those fellows. Theyare sharp and they can cover ground faster than we can in the woods.This nearest one is a she-bear and a big one."
"How do you know?" questioned Walter.
"I can tell by her tracks and the way she works. It is easy when youknow. There, the dogs are out of hearing now. Gracious, she'smaking a long run. We will take a short cut across this way. Thatought to bring us across the trail and we may be able to head heroff."
While all this was taking place Tad Butler and Stacy Brown werestanding beside their horses close to the canebrake. They too heardthe barking of the dogs, and realized that the game was gettingfarther and farther away.
Suddenly Tad heard what he thought was the sound of a breaking twigoff to the north of them.
"Chunky," he whispered, "you stay here and watch the horses while Imake a scout. I believe that bear has given them the slip and hascome over into the brake here. Don't make a sound. I will be backpretty soon."
"How long?"
"Half an hour at the most."
Stacy nodded. Tad tethered his horse, then taking his rifle from thesaddle boot stole silently away. Stacy lost sight of him in a fewminutes. Butler, proceeding as quietly as an Indian, had crossed thenext cane ridge and had gotten nearly over a narrow stretch of swampwhen he heard a sound in the cane just ahead of him. Tad croucheddown and listened. Not a sound save that of the birds of the forestdid he now hear. He had waited in that position for some time, whenhe heard something strike the ground in the canebrake just beyond him.
The boy straightened up. A flash of red and a crashing of the canetold him that his ears had not deceived him.
With characteristic quickness, Tad threw up his rifle and fired. Acrash woke the echoes of the forest, stilling the songs of the birdsin the trees. Then followed another crash.
"I got him that time. It's a deer," exulted the Pony Rider Boy. Hedid not pause to think that his had been a remarkable shot, or thathe had fired while the deer was still in the air, making a leap forsafety. The animal had caught sight of him as he rose to his feet,then leaped. Alarmed by the baying of the dogs, the deer had fled inTad's direction, and perhaps it had halted because of the scent ofthe boy himself. At any rate Tad Butler's shot had been sure. Hisbullet had caught the animal just back of the shoulder, dropping thedeer dead in its tracks.
Butler started on a run, crashing through the bushes and into thedense cane, and there lay the deer, a handsome doe. The young hunterfelt regretful as he gazed down at the fallen animal.
"Well, I reckon I've got enough meat to keep us going for some time.Mr. Lilly will be glad to get this. Now, I must get the horses."
Tad jacked the deer up in the manner learned from his former guide inthe Maine Woods, then started back for Stacy and the horses. Butlerhad a little difficulty in finding his way at first, thus losingfully twenty minutes, but finally he found the trail, and set off forthe stock on a brisk run.
"Hey, what did you shoot at?" cried Stacy the instant he caught sightof his companion.
"At a deer," answered Tad, smiling happily, "and I got him, too."
"You did?" wondered Stacy.
"I surely did. We will go get him and take him back to camp."
"What about the bear?"
"I don't believe the bear will come this way. You heard them goingoff in the other direction, but perhaps you had better stay here andwatch while I get the deer."
"No, no, I'm going with you," protested Chunky.
"Very good, if you want to. I don't think we shall lose much. Thenagain I may need your help in loading the beast on my horse."
"Is he a big one?"
"No, it is a doe," answered Tad, climbing into his saddle, Stacydoing the same with his mount.
"Hurrah!" shouted the fat boy. "We are the mighty hunters. Give usa fair show and send the rest of the folks about their business andwe will show them how to get game. But I'm sorry we didn't meet thebears."
"So am I. Still, we have some food that is better than bear meat."
The boys hurried along Tad's trail as fast as possible. They crossedthe swamp places, on through the canebrake and into the partiallyopen swale where Tad had stood when he shot.
"It is right over there," called Tad. He pushed on, but as hereached the spot he stopped and rubbed his eyes. There was no deerthere.
"He's gone," gasped Tad Butler.
"A regular phantom deer," jeered the fat boy. "Oh, what a joke onyou. Won't the boys have the laugh on you?"
"This is no joke," answered Tad slowly. "I'm going to find out whatit is right now."