There was the buck, standing between two saplings, eating the bark of one and rubbing himself against the other.
"Can I hit him, do you think?" went on Snap.
"You can try. But wait."
In a low tone Jed Sanborn instructed the lads to aim and fire to the best advantage. Each was to shoot at his own game, and Sanborn said he would take a shot or two afterwards.
"I'll give the word," said the old hunter. "Are you all ready?"
They were, and he ordered them to fire. Bang! bang! bang! went the three shotguns, and crack! went the rifle. The deer Shep had aimed at was killed outright and the two aimed at by Giant and Whopper were badly wounded. The buck, upon which Snap had tried his skill, was hit in the flank, and he gave a snort of rage as he swung around, breaking one of the saplings as he did so.
"Hurrah, I've got one!" cried Shep, in exultation.
"Mine is down, but it isn't dead," said Giant.
"Neither is mine, but I guess we can get 'em both," answered Whopper. And then the lads ran forward to secure the two struggling deer, that were floundering furiously in the snow.
Snap had turned toward the buck, but now he got a sudden attack of "buck fever" as it is called and stood stock still, with eyes staring from his head.