If anybody was nervous it was Whopper and the others said nothing when he dragged a little behind. But all kept on steadily until they knew they must be close to the spot where the game had been seen.
"Suppose I go ahead and take a look?" asked Shep, and the others nodded. A moment later the doctor's son disappeared among the bushes lining the lake shore.
When he came back he said the deer were moving up the lake front and as a consequence all hands followed with all possible speed. They kept up the chase for nearly an hour and once saw the game, but the deer were too far away to take a shot. Then the game started to run, and speedily disappeared.
"That's the time we got left," grumbled Shep. "Too bad!"
"It can't be helped," answered Snap. "We can't expect to bring down something every time we go out. If we did that there would be no fun in hunting."
Then the young hunters started back for camp, never dreaming of the disagreeable surprise which awaited them.
CHAPTER XXI
IN WHICH THE ENEMY APPEARS AGAIN
On the way back to camp Shep brought down a squirrel and Whopper knocked over a rabbit, so the quest after game was not altogether fruitless.
The boys had covered a good stretch of ground, and they were pretty well tired out when they came within sight of the cabin.