thick.

"Here are the tracks!" cried Snap, and began to run forward, with the
others close at his heels.

But alas! the tracks soon came to an end, on a series of rocks which
the wind had swept clear of snow. Beyond this point the ground was so
uneven that progress was difficult.

The boys gazed around in perplexity. They had expected some easy
shooting. Now the game was gone and they did not know where to look
for it.

"May as well go back to camp," said Snap at last. "Remember, we left
that tramp in full possession."

"Oh, let us look around a little longer," pleaded Giant.

To please the small member of the Gun Club, the others remained in
that vicinity for quarter of an hour longer, looking in every possible
direction for the deer. But the animals had made themselves scarce,
and that was the end of it.

"Too bad!" sighed Whopper. "I thought we'd get a full dozen this
time!"

They had stirred up absolutely nothing in the way of game, and so
retraced their steps without firing a single shot. Nobody felt in
particularly good humor, and the walk back to camp was a rather silent
one.