Great cracks spread across the vast, white plain that marked the lake; a few days later broad, black spaces spoke of open water, and when, one morning, I heard the honk of geese, and, looking up, saw a great, V-shaped flock of black specks winging swiftly toward the lake, I knew that spring was near at hand.
CHAPTER XIV
I FIND A COMPANION
Impatient as I was to start on my journey, I had no intention of taking any risks, for I well knew the treachery of spring weather, and that a belated snow-storm might yet arrive.
I therefore determined to wait until the weather was unquestionably settled and there was no further chance of a snowfall, which I knew would not be for several months.
This enforced period of waiting seemed to pass more slowly than all the time I had spent in the wilderness, and I strove to keep my hands and brain busy. Already the spring thaws had set in, the lake was free from ice, bare patches of earth showed here and there upon exposed hillsides, and brooks and rivulets were transformed to roaring torrents.
The weather had become so warm that I was glad to discard my fur garments, and in their place I donned trouser-like leggings and a loose, shirt-like blouse which I had fashioned from deer-skin. They were roughly made, devoid of fit, but strong, warm, and comfortable. In this rude garb, with my face hidden under an untrimmed beard, and hair falling to my shoulders, I was a veritable Crusoe of the wilderness.
With the breaking of winter game became more plentiful and I found many deer tracks in the woods, and while following one of these I made a great discovery which, had I known of it sooner, would have made my life in the woods much more bearable.
The track I was following led to a portion of the forest which I had not visited before, and soon it was joined by numerous other tracks, until I found myself walking along a well-beaten path or trail.
It was evidently a much-traveled runway, and, feeling confident that I would find deer close at hand, I moved forward with the utmost caution, stealing through the thickets, taking advantage of every bit of cover, and peering from behind trees at each turn or twist in the trail. I had thus proceeded for fully half a mile when I came in view of a small, open space, bare of vegetation, and, standing near the center, with head bent to the ground as if feeding upon the mud, was a splendid deer.
Here indeed was luck, for the creature was unaware of my presence and I was within easy bow-shot. Raising myself cautiously above the fallen tree behind which I crouched, I fitted my best arrow to my bow, drew it to the head, and aimed at the sleek, brown body. At the twang of the string the deer tossed up his head and leaped forward, but the speeding arrow was swifter than his muscles; it struck fair behind his shoulder-blade, and he plunged forward to the earth, killed as quickly as if by a rifle-ball.