“Don’t hurry.  Got lots o’ time.”

Dick was ashamed of his nervousness, and determined to conquer it, even if he didn’t fire at all.  One of the deer was a buck with fine antlers, and Dick watched his slow advance, as he looked around for a moment and then browsed for a minute or two, until the boy felt that his nerves were steady once more.  The buck was within fifty yards when Dick lifted the rifle to his shoulder and let his cheek rest upon its stock.  In another instant the hunted deer had caught sight of the hunter, but it was too late.  The beautiful creature stood motionless for half a minute, while Dick wondered if he could have missed, and then sank slowly to the ground, dead.  At the report of the rifle the other deer, which was a doe, scampered a few yards, then, turning back her head, gazed with wondering eyes upon her fallen mate.  Johnny took from his pocket a cartridge, and, holding it between thumb and finger, looked inquiringly at Dick.  Dick shook his head, and in another instant the doe had scampered out of danger.  Dick helped Johnny skin and dress the deer, and learned a lot while doing so, but he seemed less happy than a boy should be after killing his first deer.

“Johnny, I wish that buck hadn’t looked at me out of his big eyes just when I was killing him.  If I had waited a second I believe I wouldn’t have fired.”

“Glad ye didn’t wait, then.  Why didn’t yer worry about th’ ’gator?  ’Gators has fine eyes.”

When the boys started on again they counted their loads light, but after they had crossed the glade and waded and wallowed through a mile or two of swamp they were of a different opinion.  When at last they had crossed the swamp and only a bit of prairie lay between them and the Everglades, they were glad enough to throw down their packs for a long rest.  The Everglades were before them, but where was their camp?  In that open country they could have seen it for three, perhaps four, miles.  Johnny had studied the country around the camp when they left it the day before, but could see nothing familiar now.  However, the boy wasn’t worried.

“Reckon we’re too fur north.  Better go south a few miles, ’nd if we don’t find it we’ll turn ’round ’nd go t’other way.  All we got ter do is t’ stick t’ the saw-grass,” said he.

For a quarter of a mile the tramp was an easy one.  Then the boys struck a hit of boggy ground, in which they sank over their knees at every step.  When the ground became firmer the water got deeper, and after wading half a mile without a chance to lay down his pack and rest, Dick said: 

“Johnny, I always heard that Florida deer were small, but this one must have weighed a ton.  Wonder if your half is as heavy as mine.  I’ve got to sit down on that hummock and rest.”