straight on. Like many another, more experienced in the ways of the
woods than himself, Bluff almost forgot that he had other charges in his
gun. He was so amazed to see the animal he had fully believed to be dead
show such surprising signs of life, that he stood there for a few
precious seconds, gaping as if in a dream.

Then he made a wild spring to one side and gained the shelter of a tree.

"Oh! What a socker!" he exclaimed, as the enraged and bleeding animal
came full tilt against the trunk of the tree.

Before he could say more, or try to form any plan of action, he found
himself obliged to spin around that same trunk with all the rapidity he
could command, for the elk was apparently determined to overtake him,
and those towering antlers seemed pointed with spikes, in the eyes of
the startled lad as he strained every effort to keep beyond their reach.

Bluff was really alarmed by this time. He knew that any unfortunate slip
on his part would precipitate a tragedy.

"I laughed at Jerry and the wild dogs that chased him around and around,
but never again for me!" he gasped, as he kept up the weary circle,
hugging the trunk as closely as possible.

This, however, caused him to remember that on the other occasion his
chum had finally managed to gain the victory through his own gun, and
Bluff suddenly came to a knowledge of the fact that he did have a gun
gripped in his hand, and which also contained five more shots.

"Hold on! Give me a breathing spell, hang you! I'll fix you yet!" he