It was a considerable time, however, before he realized where he was
and what had befallen him. His head was still ringing, as though the
clangor of a hundred anvils were sounding in his ears, and, when he drew
a deep breath, a pain, as if made by a knife, was in his side.
He listened, but heard nothing of his enemy. Then, with a great labor
and more suffering, he pushed himself a few inches backward, so as to
give some freedom to his body and to enable him to move his head.
Turning his face, he peered out on his right: the buck was not visible
in that direction.
Then he did the same toward the left: his enemy was invisible on that
side also.
"He is gone," said the lad to himself, still afraid to venture from the
shielding trunk that had been the means of saving him from the fury of
the enraged deer.
Nick believed he was close at hand, waiting for him to make a move that
would give another chance to assault him.
After several more minutes, the lad hitched farther backward, so that he
was able to raise his head a few inches. This extended his field of
observation, and, with a feeling of inexpressible relief, he still
failed to catch sight of the game.
"I guess he got discouraged and left," said Nick, startled at the
evidences of the buck's wrath so near him.
Finally the lad backed clear out from under the tree, and climbed to his
feet; it was climbing in every sense, for he nearly cried with pain
several times, and, still fearful that he had been seriously injured, he
examined himself as best he could.
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