There was little else he could appeal to, and he was in doubt as to whether that had not been kindled by some other party; but fortunately, while he was debating the matter, he caught the faint but distinct signal of his friend, who was on the point of starting out to look for him.

Nick replied, and in the course of half an hour had joined Sam and Herbert by the fire.

They were relieved beyond expression to see the figure of the sturdy little fellow, as he emerged from the gloom, and took his seat around the camp fire.

They noticed that he limped, and knew something unusual must have taken place to delay him.  He had the most attentive of listeners when he related his dangerous encounter with the buck, which came so nigh ending his life.

But, happily, he had come out without any serious injury, and the lads attacked their supper with the keenest of appetites.

“The reason the buck did not kill you,” said Herbert, “was because he was disabled by the wound I gave him.”

“He was struck by one bullet only, and that one was mine,” said Nick, who saw no sense in deferring to the absurd claims of the youth.

“Possibly not, but we shall have to examine his carcass to make sure of that.”

“I don’t believe we shall have much time to look after dead deer,” said Sam, “for I believe we are in the neighborhood of the very bear we’re looking for.”

His friends turned toward him for an explanation of this remark, which was uttered with all seriousness.

“Bowser has been acting very queer for the last half-hour.”

“I think he has acted queer all day,” observed Nick.

“I did not consider him of much account until he saved me from the rattlesnake this afternoon; after that, I’m ready to believe he’s got a good deal more sense than you are willing to think.”

Then Sam told his story, and added that the hound had left the vicinity of the fire several times, and, going some distance in the woods, had come back, giving utterance to a peculiar whine.  At the same time he looked up in the face of his master with much the same expression as he did when seeking to warn him of his danger from the poisonous serpent.

“There he goes now!” suddenly exclaimed Sam; “just watch him!”

Bowser had been stretched out near enough to the fire to receive much of its warmth, and appeared to be asleep.  All at once he threw up his head and sniffed the air, as though he scented something; then he rose, with a low whine, and trotted straight out in the gloom.

The lads listened attentively for some sound from him, but all remained still.  At the end of ten minutes he came trotting to view again, and walked straight up to his master, looked up in his face, wagging his tail, and whined again.

“You can depend on it,” said Sam, “he has made some discovery, though I have no idea what it is.”

“Let’s follow him and find out.”