At the end of two or three miles a range of pretty steep hills were encountered, and after dragging the sleds over one of the ridges, the boys were badly winded. They trudged on at a slower rate of speed, making wide detours to reach a gap whenever such a plan was feasible.

About midafternoon they found themselves traversing a narrow and heavily-timbered valley. Through the center brawled a noisy torrent that was too swift to freeze. On either side rose steep, pine-clad hills.

"There ought to be some small game hereabouts," said Jerry. "It's soon time to look up a camping-place for the night, and I'm hungry for a supper of fresh meat."

"So am I," muttered Brick. "I hate the smell of salt pork and bacon."

The boys pushed warily ahead through the dense bushes, looking to right and left. They kept their weapons ready for instant use.

Hamp was several yards in advance. Suddenly he stopped, and held up a warning hand. His face was ablaze with excitement as he turned to his companions.

"Look there!" he gasped. "How's that for luck? Don't make a sound."

The boys crept excitedly forward, and looked through the bushes which Hamp was holding apart with one hand. Then their eyes opened wide, and they shook with feverish ardor.

Over the top of the scrub, and less than sixty yards distant, rose the branching antlers of a huge buck. Close by was a second buck, and the reddish-gray flanks of several other deer were visible. As they moved about on the snow, the rasping crunch of their hoofs could be plainly heard.

"What a glorious sight," whispered Hamp. "It's a whole herd of deer, as sure as anything. They're not looking this way, but it's funny they haven't scented us. The wind is from the west, and blows straight down the ravine."

"Let me try a shot at that big fellow?" pleaded Brick, in a tremulous voice.

"Not for the world," whispered Jerry. "The range is too long, and we can't crawl any closer without being discovered. There must be a salt lick down there, and the deer are feeding. I've got a great scheme, fellows, and if we work it properly, we're sure to make a big haul of venison. You two go back a short distance, and climb the hill on the left, without making a bit of noise. Follow the ridge for more than a quarter of a mile, and then climb down to the valley again. I'll take Brick's watch, and wait right here with the sleds. I'll give you thirty-five minutes, and when time is up, I'll try to get a shot at one of the deer. The minute I fire, the whole herd will dash down the valley, and if you fellows are well posted on opposite sides, you ought to get one a piece without any trouble."

The boys heard the plan with enthusiasm, and at once prepared to start.

Brick took out his watch, and gave it to Jerry.

"What gun do you want?" asked Hamp.

"I'll keep the shotgun," replied Jerry. "You fellows had better take both along. You understand the plan, do you? Well, don't make any mistake, and avoid noise. Keep up the center of the valley for a hundred feet before you start to climb the hill. Go ahead now. I'm beginning to count time."

CHAPTER XV.

A SUCCESSFUL BATTLE.

Hamp and Brick obeyed orders to the letter. Each carried a rifle, a shotgun and a hunting knife, and each had a pocketful of sh.e.l.ls.

The thought of what lay before them lent feverish speed to the boys'

weary feet. Ten minutes of stiff climbing brought them to the top of the hill. They had taken their snowshoes off, and at present they had no need of them. Owing to the high wind that prevailed during the storm, there was not even a sprinkling of snow on the ridge.

They hurried along the rocky pathway, taking good care, however, to tread on no dry twigs or branches. They could see nothing below them, owing to the dense foliage. To right and left lay an equally deep and gloomy ravine.

When the young hunters were a quarter of a mile beyond the spot where Jerry was waiting, as nearly as they could judge, the top of the hill suddenly began to drop downward in steep jumps. Then it sloped more easily, and finally terminated on the brink of a flat, egg-shaped basin, surrounded by hills.

It was a weird and dreary place, and the boys surveyed it for a moment with vague feeling of abhorrence. Then they hastily strapped on their snowshoes, and turned to the mouth of the valley, which was a few yards to their left. They posted themselves behind rocks, on opposite sides of the narrow pa.s.s. In between lay scrub bushes and the now frozen bed of the stream.

"Got both your guns loaded?" Hamp called across, in a loud whisper.

"Yes; I'm ready," Brick replied.

His rifle was in his arms, and the shotgun stood beside him.

"How long do you think we'll have to wait?" he added.

"Not long," answered Hamp. "The thirty-five minutes are surely up by this time. I'll bet Jerry is stalking the herd."

An interval of waiting dragged slowly by. The boys became fidgety and restless. They imagined that something had happened to their companion.

Bang! the thunderous roar of a shotgun suddenly reverberated down the ravine. The boys jumped with surprise, and nervously clutched their weapons. They gazed eagerly up the valley.

"Now look out," cried Hamp. "They'll be here in a minute. Keep cool, old fellow, and aim straight."

"I'll do my best," replied Brick. "You take the first one, and I'll pick out one of the rest."

"All right," Hamp whispered.

Just then a loud halloo was heard up the valley, and an instant later the crunching of hoofs and the threshing of bushes rose near by. Now the herd burst into sight, and it was an unexpected surprise to the boys to see eight fat deer leaping onward through the narrow pa.s.s.

Bang! went Hamp's rifle, and the leader of the herd, a huge buck, dropped dead in his tracks.

Brick also singled out a buck, but excitement unsteadied his hand, and he merely wounded the animal in the hind flank. As the rest of the herd scurried by, the lads fired several shots apiece, but without visible effect.

Then they sprang out from cover, well content with what they had accomplished.

The wounded buck had toppled over, but at sight of his enemies he staggered to his feet, and made a rush on three legs for Hamp, snorting savagely. The lad had just time to dodge behind the rock. Indeed, his escape from the antlers was very close.

The buck then turned and went for Brick, who skillfully and coolly ended its career with a charge of heavy shot.

"Hurrah! two dead," cried Hamp, as he left his place of shelter. "What a streak of luck!"

"Isn't it glorious?" answered Brick. "Jerry will hardly believe his eyes when he gets here. Say, look there," he added, in a loud and excited voice.

Hamp looked and uttered a yell of delight. Then both lads rushed toward the mouth of the valley, taking great strides over the snow.

What they saw was a fat doe struggling across the center of the swamp.

At every step her hoofs broke through the crust, and she was making but feeble progress. The rest of the herd had wisely swung aside into the forest, and were long since out of sight.

Their snowshoes carried the lads swiftly forward, and they were quickly within close range of the animal. Two shots were fired, and the deer rolled over lifeless.

"We've bagged three!" exclaimed Hamp. "Just think of it!"

"It's a great haul," repied Brick; "but we're in pretty much the same fix as the man who had an elephant on his hands. How are we going to carry all this game?"

"Yes--how?" echoed Hamp.