"Never!" declared Ned. "I have often had worse than this, and have gone on after the game."
He got to his feet, but limped as he walked The foot had been lacerated.
"What foolish hunters ever put that trap there?" he asked.
"I would not be surprised if it were the man who shot the deer," replied Dorothy, as if the others knew of that happening.
"Shot a deer! At this season!" exclaimed Jack.
"Oh, I think he was an Indian. I saw him as I came along in the canoe," replied Dorothy. "I thought at the time it was against the law. Can you walk, Ned? I do wish you would go back."
"Seems to me we ought to separate," interposed Ralph. "We can never make any headway by searching all together."
"Well, I will not leave Dorothy," declared Cologne, stoutly. "I left her once——"
"No, I left you once," corrected Dorothy, in her own way of always taking the blame. "I think, however, Ralph is right. Suppose the boys keep along the water, and Cologne and I go farther in."
"Then I go with you," said Ralph gallantly. "It is not altogether safe in the deep woods. There might be lunatics——"