The boys looked out on the lake and saw the head and antlers of a deer, which was swimming desperately to reach the other shore. He had already spied them, and was doing his best to escape. Ben sent the canoe racing along, and the excited lads saw that they were rapidly gaining. They shouted aloud in the excitement of the chase, and then began to wonder what might happen when they drew alongside.
“Shall we shoot him?” inquired George, eagerly.
“Don’t you dare!” thundered Ben, between paddle-strokes. “No one but a ‘tenderfoot’ or a ‘pot-hunter’ would shoot a deer in the water. And never try to kill a deer with anything but a rifle. We’ll just have some fun with him and let him go.”
They felt rather disappointed at losing such a chance. They did not quite know what a “tenderfoot” or a “pot-hunter” might be, but were sure neither was a pattern for them.
Meanwhile they had approached to within a few yards of the buck. They could hear his hoarse, quick breathing and see the big, brown eyes turned toward them in fear as they drew close up beside him. The deer was doing all in its power to evade capture. But Ben was an expert with the paddle, and, twist and turn as it would, the frightened creature found the pursuing canoe always beside it. The boys, thoroughly carried away by the sport, reached forth to touch it on the neck. Instantly a change came over the hunted animal. An angry light of battle shone in its eyes, and even as Ben called a warning it half raised itself from the water and struck a wicked blow at the frail canoe with its sharp-pointed forefeet.
In jumping back from the sudden attack, the boys overturned the canoe and were thrown out. Ed and Ben fell into the water, but George landed squarely astride the back of the frightened buck. He had sufficient presence of mind to grasp the antlers and hang on. And then began a ride the like of which few if any boys have ever experienced!
GEORGE LANDED FAIRLY ASTRIDE THE BACK OF THE FRIGHTENED BUCK
The deer, feeling the weight of the lad on its back, threw itself forward in a series of wild leaps half out of water. George gripped the wet body with his knees and hung grimly to the rough horns. He had no desire to fall off into the deep water through which the animal was taking him in its mad flight to the opposite side of the lake.
Ben had meantime boosted Ed to the top of the overturned canoe, and was swimming with it toward the shore they had just left. Both of them were yelling encouragement to the alarmed boy racing through the water on the back of the deer.