master either, as we may well grant when we consider that this first display of it was on the occasion of his hunter’s soul having realized its brightest day-dream.
Dick’s dangers and triumphs seemed to accumulate on him rather thickly at this place, for the next day he had a narrow escape of being killed by a deer. The way of it was this. Having run short of meat, and not being fond of grizzly bear steak, he shouldered his rifle and sallied forth in quest of game, accompanied by Crusoe, whose frequent glances towards his wounded side showed that it “hurt” him now.
They had not gone far when they came on the track of a deer, and followed it till they spied a magnificent buck about three hundreds yards off, standing in a level patch of ground which was everywhere surrounded either by rocks or thicket. It was a long shot, but as the nature of the ground rendered it impossible for Dick to get nearer without being seen, he fired, and wounded the buck so badly that he came up with it in a few minutes. The snow had drifted in the place where it stood bolt upright, ready for a spring, so Dick went round a little way, Crusoe following, till he was in a proper position to fire again. Just as he pulled the trigger, Crusoe gave a howl behind him and disturbed his aim, so that he feared he had missed; but the deer fell, and he hurried towards it. On coming up, however, the buck sprang to its legs rushed at him with its hair bristling, knocked him down and deliberately commenced stamping him to death.
Dick was stunned for a moment, and lay quite still, so the deer left off pommelling him, and stood looking at him. But the instant he moved it plunged at him again and gave him another pounding, until he was content to lie still. This was done several times, and Dick felt his strength going fast. He was surprised that Crusoe did not come to his rescue, and once he cleared his mouth and whistled to him; but as the deer gave him another pounding for this, he didn’t attempt it again. He now for the first time bethought him of his knife, and quietly drew it from his belt; but the deer observed the motion and was on him again in a moment. Dick, however, sprang up on his left elbow, and making several desperate thrusts upwards, succeeded in stabbing the animal to the heart.
Rising and shaking the snow from his garments, he whistled loudly to Crusoe, and, on listening, heard him
