THE WOODRANGER [Illustration: “‘I’M UNDER OATH.’”] THE WOODRANGER A Story of the Pioneers of the Debatable Grounds BY G. WALDO BROWNE AUTHOR OF “TWO AMERICAN BOYS IN HAWAII,” ETC. Illustrated by L. J. BRIDGMAN NEW YORK A. WESSELS COMPANY 1907 _Copyright, 1899_ BY L. C. PAGE AND COMPANY (Incorporated) _All rights reserved_ TO Norman Stanley Browne MY MERRY LITTLE SON HOPING IT WILL INTEREST AND INSTRUCT HIM THIS VOLUME IS MOST AFFECTIONATELY INSCRIBED CONTENTS. CHAPTER PAGE INTRODUCTION 7 I. THE DEER’S LEAP 11 II. THE WOODRANGER AND THE DEER REEVE 16 III. NORMAN MEETS HIS ENEMY 23 IV. A PERILOUS PREDICAMENT 30 V. JOHNNY STARK 43 VI. THE MAN WHO KNEW IT ALL 53 VII. NORMAN’S TRIAL 63 VIII. END OF THE TRIAL 75 IX. THE SHOOTING-MATCH 84 X. AN ALARM 97 XI. A FIERY GIRDLE 103 XII. BAD NEWS AT HOME 112 XIII. THE HONOUR OF THE McNIELS 119 XIV. NORMAN WORKS IN A STUMP-FIELD 126 XV. HANGING A BEAR 139 XVI. GUNWAD TAKES DECISIVE ACTION 149 XVII. THE CANOE MATCH 163 XVIII. THE FALL HUNT 180 XIX. DEER NECK 188 XX. THE CRY FOR HELP 196 XXI. A PECULIAR PREDICAMENT 202 XXII. THE GUN-SHOT 209 XXIII. THE FOREST TRAGEDY 215 XXIV. BEAR’S CLAWS――THE TURKEY TRAIN 221 XXV. THE PLACE OF THE BIG BUCK 229 XXVI. AROUND THE CAMP-FIRE 234 XXVII. “CREEPING” THE MOOSE 242 XXVIII. THE BATTLE OF THE MONARCHS 250 XXIX. TEST SHOTS――THE SNOW-STORM 255 XXX. THE BURNING OF CHRISTO’S WIGWAM 262 XXXI. THE WOODRANGER SURPRISES MR. MacDONALD 270