"Let us go out and look for him," said Giant. "Perhaps he has fallen into a hole and broken a leg, or something like that."
"Oh, there are lots of things could happen to a fellow out here," answered Whopper. "But I thought we could trust Shep to take care of himself."
They waited a while longer, and then, putting the camp in order, set out on the hunt for the missing member of the gun club.
It was an easy matter to reach the spot where Snap and Shep had separated. Then they took to the trail Shep had followed, until they came to a bit of a clearing.
"Oh my! look there!" ejaculated Giant, suddenly. "Come back of the bushes, quick, before they see you!"
Having hauled his companions behind the bushes, he pointed to a spot beyond one end of the lake.
"I don't see anything," said Snap.
"I do!" cried Whopper. "Some deer!"
"Yes, three or four of 'em!" cried the little hunter. "Oh, if we could only get at 'em!"
"I think I understand now," came from Snap. "Shep must have gone after those deer."