"Excellent! excellent!" replied Boone, listening intently, and pausing
suddenly, as the discharge of a gun in the direction of the hills
sounded through the woods.

"He has reached the standers," remarked Glenn, reining up his steed at
Boone's side.

"No; it was one of our men who has not followed him in all his
deviations," replied Boone, still marking the notes of the hounds.

"I doubt not our company is sufficiently scattered in every direction
through the forest to force him into the hills very speedily, if,
indeed, that shot was not fatal," remarked Glenn.

"He is not hurt--perhaps it was not fired at him, but at a bird--nor
will he yet leave the woods," said Boone, still listening to the
hounds. "He comes!" he exclaimed a moment after, with marks of joy in
his face; "he will make a grand circle before quitting the lowland."
And now the dogs could be heard more distinctly, as if they were
gradually approaching the place from which they first started.

"If you will remain here," continued Boone, "it is quite likely you
will have a shot as he makes his final push for the hills."

"Then here will I remain," replied Glenn; and fixing himself firmly in
the saddle, resolved to await the coming of Bruin, having every
confidence in the intimation of his friend. Boone selected a position
a few hundred paces distant, with a view of permitting Glenn to have
the first fire.