but nick ribsam was full of grit, and, though every step he took caused him pain, he persevered with that grim resolution that was a part of his nature from his very birth.

after walking some distance he found the soreness and stiffness leaving him, and he straightened up with something of his natural vim and elasticity of spirits.

"there's one thing certain," he added, recalling his encounter with the buck, "i didn't have any one to help me out of that scrape, except the one who always helps him that helps himself; but i never wanted a friend more than then, and, if it hadn't been for that oak, it would have been the last of nicholas ribsam."

"there is another thing i have learned," he added, with that glimmer of humor which was sure to show itself, "i know considerable more than i did yesterday; i have a good idea of how it feels when a wounded buck raises you, and, after this, i won't shoot one of the creatures unless i'm sure of making a better shot than i did a while ago—hallo!"

well might he utter the last exclamation, for at that moment he came upon the dead body of the buck, lying as he had fallen on the earth, when at last he succumbed to the wound received at the hands of nick himself.

the boy stopped to examine it, for he was much impressed by the discovery.

"that came very near ending in the death of us both: nothing but the oak saved me. i wonder whether i am going right."

he raised his head from his examination, and looked about him, but he was without the means of judging whether he was following the proper direction or not. when leaving the scene of his encounter with the deer, he had taken the course that seemed to be right, without pausing until he could make himself certain in the matter.

this is pretty sure, in a majority of cases, to lead one astray, but it so happened with nick that he headed in a bee-line for the camp, where the impatient sam harper was awaiting him.

but the error came afterward: he toiled forward without any guide, and soon began to turn to the left, so that he was in reality moving on the circumference of a large circle, without suspecting how much he wandered from the true course.

this peculiar mistake is made by many who are lost in the wilderness, and is supposed to be due to the fact that everybody is either right or left handed, instead of being ambidextrous as we all ought to be.

one side of the body being stronger than the other, we unconsciously exert the limb on that side the most, and swerve from a straight line, unless we have something to direct in the shape of a landmark or guiding-post.

it was not until nick had gone a long ways out of the right course that he suspected his error: the appearance of the camp fire which sam harper had kindled, was what led him to stop and make the best investigation he could.

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."

it was nick ribsam who made the proposal; the others were inclined to hold back, but the plucky little fellow insisted, and it was agreed that bowser's secret should be learned by keeping him company to the spot which he visited.