Pa hung his long knife from his belt and Jim started down the clearing, carrying Pa’s heavy flintlock rifle. It was as long as Jim was tall and difficult for him to carry, but he tried to manage it proudly. As Pa went striding through the thick woods, Jim did his best to keep up with him. Now and then a squirrel darted along in front of them, or a few wild turkeys flew over their heads, frightened by their approach. Jim stopped and started to raise his rifle. “Let’s shoot some turkeys, Pa. Ma always likes to cook turkey.” Pa smiled and shook his head. “Not now, Jim. We’re out for bigger game. On the way back we’ll bag a few squirrels and turkeys. Then we won’t have to carry them so far.” A little farther on, Pa said, “If you should happen to see a bear or deer, Jim, don’t be in a hurry to fire. Wait until the animal is close to you. That Deckard works best if you fire it at close range. Always remember, son, don’t get excited and fire too soon.” “I’ll remember, Pa.” Along about noon Jim suddenly froze in his tracks, certain that he had seen a deer. Pa stopped, glanced in the direction Jim was looking and nodded. The deer evidently had not picked up their scent, as it continued to wander slowly toward them. Without a sound Jim brought his rifle to rest in a nearby tree notch and waited. When it seemed the approaching deer would surely see them, he fired. “Good boy, Jim,” Pa cried excitedly. “You got him on the first shot.” [Illustration: uncaptioned] Jim was elated because it was his very first deer. Of course he had shot rabbits near their cabin, but a deer was a real triumph. Pa cut a long limb from a tree and stripped off its branches. Then he trussed the deer’s legs with a long strip of wild grapevine. “Now, Jim, help me to run this limb between the deer’s legs, so we can carry it easily.” In a jiffy they had the deer slung from the limb. Pa put one end of the limb on Jim’s shoulder and the other on his own, so they could carry the animal through the forest without difficulty. It was a fine young buck, and would furnish plenty of meat for them, perhaps even a new hunting shirt. “Better give me the rifle now, Jim. It’s most too heavy for you with that limb on your shoulder. We’ll work our way home by Coon Hollow Trace. There’s always plenty of game in that neighborhood.” When they arrived at Coon Hollow, a small crossroads in the forest, Jim said, “Look, Pa. I think I see someone coming down that trace.” He nodded toward the north. Instantly Pa laid the deer on the ground and held his rifle ready. He peered ahead for a moment, then said, “I see two men, Jim, and I think one’s leading a pack horse. We’ll wait a little.”