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Roosting Out
by
“Well,” thinks I, “it’s no particular use crying over spilt milk–it’s no use to move when there is no idea existing of bettering one’s self, so here I’ll roost until daylight, unless Doctor comes back to hunt me up!” I judged it was not far from 2 o’clock, A. M., and believed it possible that our venison might only whet a grizzly bear’s appetite to follow up the pursuit and gormandize me!–A proper site for a roost was the next matter of importance, and a scrubby oak with a thick top, close by, offered an inviting elevation to lodge.
A long, long time seemed the coming day; and the sharp air of its approach, and heavy dew, made “perching” in a crotch very fatiguing “pastime.”
When light began to dawn, sliding down I took an observation that convinced me, according to Indian signs, that Doctor and I had gone South too far to hit the camp, and, to the best of my reckoning, the old bee tree was not far out of my way, and that I now struck for.
About noon, and a lovely day it was, I discovered the bee tree, made a dinner on honey, which was scattered about considerably, giving evidence of its having been visited by our rugged Russian friends.
And now, feeling anxious to see human faces, and not linger about a spot where troublesome customers might abound, I made tracks for the camp, which was reached about sundown, and where I found, to my regret, the Doctor had not come in yet.
“Old Traps” had returned all safe enough, and had been prophesying “the boys” were lost, and would not soon be found again. However, the old fellow put away his deer skin, which he had been cleaning, etc., to give me a feed of the deer, a few remnants yet remaining, and from my exercise and fasting, never was a rude meal more luxurious. Two of the party, with one of the black boys, and a mule, had been out since noon in quest of us, and about midnight they returned with the Doctor, who congratulated me on what he had estimated as an escape. So did I. We all concluded it was a DEER hunt! Though we “had a time” at the bee tree, next night, that made us about square.