All at once there came from the patch of bushes a renewed rustling. It was coming toward him. Ralph clutched his rifle tightly and bit his under lip to keep his nerves under control. The sound was growing nearer now. Was it a bear, or a stealthy, cat-like cougar that was destined to emerge in an instant from its place of concealment?
“It’s coming,” thought Ralph, with a bound of his heart, “I hope I can shoot straight and finish it with one shot.”
He threw up his gun in anticipation and the next instant burst into a loud laugh.
From the bush had emerged, not a bear nor a mountain lion, nor even a deer.
Facing Ralph, and quite as much astonished as he, to judge by its attitude, was a large Canada hare. For an instant boy and hare stood looking at each other, while Ralph shook with laughter over his feelings of trepidation as to what the brush would bring forth.
“Talk about the mountain and the mouse,” he chuckled to himself. “This sure is a modern version of the old fable.”
“Skip along, bunny,” he added the next instant, as the hare, with a spring and a whisk of its stumpy tail, vanished down the mountain side seeking cover, “I wouldn’t take as easy a shot as that, especially when I was looking for big game.”
But the next minute he was destined to get another surprise. Something was coming toward him from another direction, from his right. He could hear its footsteps as it advanced somewhat heavily, cracking branches and twigs.
Then among the tree trunks and underbrush he saw something move. A brown object it appeared to be.
“A deer!” flashed through Ralph’s mind. “I’m in luck to-day.”