"It's a pity we didn't know of this trail before," said Whopper. "It might have saved us from going about 'steen miles out of our way."
"Well, you'll know it after this," said Jed Sanborn, with a quiet smile. "Can't learn everything in a day, ye know. The woods is like book larnin'—-ye have got to learn a page at a time."
They walked along until nearly noon and then came to something of a clearing. Here all took a sharp gaze around and at last saw two deer far over to the eastward.
"We can walk straight for 'em," said the old hunter. "The wind is blowing our way."
Once more they hurried on, this time with hopes beating high. Half the distance was covered when Jed Sanborn halted the boys.
"Look to your guns, lads. Is every gun ready for use?"
"Mine is!" came from one after another, as the examination was made.
"Good! Now remember, if we come up to the deer and you shoot, aim for the one that's in line with you—-that is, the boy on the left takes the left deer, the boy on the right takes the deer on the right, a boy in the middle takes one in the middle, and so on. Do you understand that?"
They all said that they did.
"Very good. Now, one thing more. Don't get scared. Shoot quickly, but take as good an aim as you possibly can. If the deer is coming toward you, let him git putty close before you let drive."