Part 44 (1/2)

”They are gone!” murmured Roger, as his eyes discovered that the top of the hill was abandoned.

”I'll crawl forward and take a look,” said Todd. ”Keep quiet now, or we won't git nuthin'.”

The cowboy disappeared over the top of the hill, crawling forward on his hands and knees. He was gone fully ten minutes--a time that to the boys, just then, seemed like an age. They looked to their weapons, to see that the firearms were ready for use.

Presently Dave, who was on the watch, saw Todd arise in a clump of bushes on the other side of the hilltop. He was beckoning for the boys to advance. One hand he held over his mouth, to enjoin silence.

With their hearts beating more rapidly than usual, the three young hunters wormed their way over the top of the hill and joined the cowboy.

In silence Todd pointed to a distance below them. There, on a sort of cliff on the hillside, were the deer, ten in number, grazing peacefully.

”Oh, what a shot!” whispered Dave, and his eyes brightened as he swung his gun into position.

”Wait!” said Todd, in a whisper. ”I'll take the one on the right. You take the one on the left.”

”I'll take the one close to the tree,” whispered the senator's son.

”And I'll take the one by the big rock,” added Phil.

”All right,” agreed the cowboy. ”Now, remember, if some are only wounded, shoot at 'em again, any one of you. And be quick, for they'll streak it like greased lightning as soon as the guns go off.”

All took aim with care, resting their gun-barrels on the bushes before them. Then the cowboy gave the order to fire.

As if by instinct the deer looked up just as the order to fire was given. They were fairly close to hand and afforded good targets for the hunters. The firearms rang out almost simultaneously, and two of the deer leaped into the air, to fall back dead. The others started to run, some jumping from the top of the cliff to the rocks far below. Again the weapons were discharged, and this time a third deer fell. The fourth was badly wounded and toppled down in a split of the cliff.

”Hurrah! we've got 'em! We've got 'em!” cried Phil, and commenced to leap about in pure joy.

”We've got 'em--to get!” answered Sid Todd. ”But you did well--all of you!” he added, admiringly.

”How are we to get down to the cliff?” questioned Roger, anxiously.

”The deer got down--we had better follow their trail,” answered Dave.

They made an examination, and presently found a run leading to one end of the cliff. The walking was dangerous and they had to be careful, for fear of going further than intended. But inside of a quarter of an hour all were standing where the deer had stood. They found three of the game dead and quickly put the fourth out of its misery.

”This is worth coming for,” declared Dave, with pride.

”It is indeed--even if we don't get anything else,” added Phil.

”But we are going to get more,” cried Roger, the fever of the hunter taking possession of him. ”Just wait till we strike an elk, or a bear!”

”No more hunting this day,” sang out Todd. ”Time we take care of these animals and make a camp it will be dark.”

CHAPTER XXVII

THE MOUNTAIN LION

”What are we to do with so much venison?” questioned the senator's son.

”We can't eat it, and it seems a shame to allow it to go to waste.”