Herbert had been asleep so long that he could have missed the report
very readily, while Sam was so far from Nick that the sound of his gun
could have been mistaken for that fired by some wandering hunter,
unknown to either.
Every few minutes, Sam halloed or whistled, after Nick's favorite manner
of signaling, and then the two bent their heads and listened for the
answer, which came not.
The broiled game remained untasted, for Sam's appetite was suspended,
and Herbert refused to eat while his companion was in such mental
trouble.
"There's no use of talking," finally exclaimed Sam, unable to repress
his uneasiness, "something has gone wrong with Nick, and I'm bound to
find out what it is."
CHAPTER XXIII.
HUNTING A BUCK.
It will be remembered that when Nick Ribsam left his companions, early
in the afternoon, it was with the resolution to find out whether the
showy shot made by Herbert Watrous at the buck, had done the execution
he claimed for it.
This forced him to make a much longer detour than did Sam Harper, and,
as he was obliged to move with great caution, he found no time to sit
down and rest or sleep.
The more he reflected on the exploit which Herbert attempted, the more
did he doubt it.
"I suppose they hit a target a mile off, as Sam told me; but that is
when they know the exact distance. No person can hit a deer a quarter of
a mile away, unless he does it by chance. Herbert proved he can't shoot
anything close to him, and it isn't likely he hit the deer by accident,
for such accidents don't happen unless it's a person that you don't
want to hurt.
Pages:
91
92
93
94
95
96
97
98
99
100
101
102
103
104
105
106
107
108
109
110
111
112
113
114
115