The baying of the hound was nearer now.  Suddenly we saw a big buck come down to the shore of the cove near us and on our side of the stream.  He looked to right and left.  Then he made a long leap into the water and waded slowly until it covered him.  He raised his nose and laid his antlers back over his shoulders and swam quietly down-stream, his nose just showing above the water.  His antlers were like a bit of driftwood.  If we had not seen him take the water his antlers might easily have passed for a bunch of dead sticks.  Soon the buck slowly lifted his head and turned his neck and looked at both shores.  Then very deliberately he resumed his place under water and went on.  We watched him as he took the farther shore below us and made off in the woods again.

“I couldn’t shoot at him, it was such a beautiful bit of politics,” said the Senator.

Soon the hound reached the cove’s edge and swam the river and ranged up and down the bank for half an hour before he found the buck’s trail again.

“I’ve seen many a rascal, driven to water by the hounds, go swimming away as slyly as that buck, with their horns in the air, looking as innocent as a bit of driftwood.  They come in from both shores—­the Whig and the Democratic—­and they are always shot at from one bank or the other.”

I remember it surprised me a little to hear him say that they came in from both shores.

“Just what do you want to do?” he asked presently.

“I should like to go down to Washington with you and help you in any way that I can.”

“All right, partner—­we’ll try it,” he answered gravely.  “I hope that I don’t forget and work you as hard as I work myself.  It wouldn’t be decent.  I have a great many letters to write.  I’ll try thinking out loud while you take them down in sound-hand.  Then you can draft them neatly and I’ll sign them.  You have tact and good manners and can do many of my errands for me and save me from those who have no good reason for taking up my time.  You will meet the best people and the worst.  There’s just a chance that it may come to something worth while—­who knows?  You are young yet.  It will be good training and you will witness the making of some history now and then.”

What elation I felt!

Again the voice of the hound which had been ringing in the distant hills was coming nearer.

“We must keep watch—­another deer is coming,” said the Senator.

We had only a moment’s watch before a fine yearling buck came down to the opposite shore and stood looking across the river.  The Senator raised his rifle and fired.  The buck fell in the edge of the water.

“How shall we get him?” my friend asked.

“It will not be difficult,” I answered as I began to undress.  Nothing was difficult those days.  I swam the river and towed the buck across with a beech withe in his gambrel joints.  The hound joined me before I was half across with my burden and nosed the carcass and swam on ahead yelping with delight.