"Well!" exclaimed the panting Herbert Watrous, "I can't say I see much fun in this; it's too much like chasing a railroad train."
"No," added Nick, "I don't see that there is any hope of running down the deer, who is more used to traveling than we are."
"Maybe he'll come round in a circle again," said Sam, "and we may have another chance to see him sail by, while not one of us raises his gun."
"I suppose we ought to understand something more about the habits of the deer, so that we would know what course he would be likely to take. We could then get there ahead of him and fire as soon as he gave us a chance."
"Well," added Sam, with a sigh, "he seems to have taken the route we were going to follow to hunt the bear, so we may as well tramp along. We may get a glimpse of a buffalo or elephant next."
The baying of the hound had ceased, and, though the boys often stopped and listened, they heard nothing more of it.
"I guess he has caught the deer," said Herbert, who showed a desire to speak well of Bowser since he had failed to shoot him, "and is waiting for us."
But Sam shook his head; he knew the canine too well to believe him capable of such an exploit as that.
"I don't think he ever ran down anything yet, unless it was a chicken or cat—hallo!"
At that moment the subject of their conversation appeared on the scene, approaching as quietly as though the boys were sheep that he wished to surprise.