Presently Bob realized that they had crept as close as seemed necessary. He caught the eye of Sandy, and nodded his head. Knowing what the programme was to be, for they had gone through it many times together, the other gradually managed to raise himself to a position where he had one knee on the ground. This was an ideal position for shooting, as it gave him a chance to rest his elbow on the other knee, to steady himself at the final instant. To Bob it was given to pick the time of firing. He had to watch closely, in order to make sure that both animals selected were free from trees, so that they might not uselessly waste precious ammunition. "Shoot!" he said, quickly. Bang! roared his own heavily-charged musket. The cow went floundering down, and never again arose, for Bob's aim had been true. Sandy was not quite so fortunate. Just at the second when Bob gave the word to fire, the half-grown young buffalo chanced to step behind a large tree trunk, so that it was out of the question to dispose of him while standing still. With the report the alarmed animals started to run wildly away. But Sandy had of course been expecting this, and was quick to shoot. He gave a shout as he saw the prize fall. Bob, on his part, was a little worried lest the bull charge them; but that old worthy was already in full flight, doubtless in the belief that the others of his family would rejoin him, when their little fright, concerning those lightning flashes and thunder crashes coming from the bushes, had died away. Here was great luck truly. All the game they could possibly carry home, and within carrying distance of the spot where the canoe had been secreted. They made camp at once. There was no tent to erect, so when Bob had removed the two hides, a laborious task even with Sandy's help, and started to cut the carcasses up, Sandy erected a lean-to of branches, bark and leaves, that would serve fairly well in case it did rain. Then came a little fire, built as Bob directed, in a cavity, where its light would never be seen beyond ten paces. After that supper was begun. And some of the meat from the young buffalo bull proved most tender eating. "Hark!" said Bob, as they were browning their fourth helping at the end of long wooden splinters thrust into the ground near the little mass of red embers. Sandy made an involuntary dive for his gun, as he ejaculated: "What did you hear? Was it the whoop of an Indian? Have they discovered us after all?" "It has begun to rain, that is all," answered Bob, smiling; for he had heard the first drops beginning to patter among the dead leaves. "Is that all? Why, it is hardly worth mentioning. And you did give me a start, to be sure. I'm glad we finished our supper before those clouds took to leaking." It seemed a trifling thing just then; but in the end it was freighted with momentous happenings connected with the fortunes of those two young pioneers of the Ohio.