The Adventures of Lightfoot the Deer, Page 3

  Lightfoot had about decided that the hunter had given up hunting forthat day, but he didn't let this keep him from being any the lesswatchful. It was better to be overwatchful than the least bit careless.By and by, Lightfoot's keen ears caught the sound of the snapping of alittle stick in the distance. It was so faint a sound that you or Iwould have missed it altogether. But Lightfoot heard it and instantlyhe was doubly alert, watching in the direction from which that faintsound had come. After what seemed a long, long time he saw somethingmoving, and a moment later a man came into view. It was the hunter andacross one arm he carried the terrible gun.

  Lightfoot knew now that this hunter had patience and perseverance andhad not yet given up hope of getting near enough to shoot Lightfoot. Hemoved forward slowly, setting each foot down with the greatest care, soas not to snap a stick or rustle the leaves. He was watching sharplyahead, ready to shoot should he catch a glimpse of Lightfoot withinrange.

  Right along through the hollow at the foot of the little hill belowLightfoot the hunter passed. He was no longer studying the ground forLightfoot's tracks, because the ground was so hard and dry down therethat Lightfoot had left no tracks. He was simply hunting in thedirection from which the Merry Little Breezes were blowing because heknew that Lightfoot had gone in that direction, and he also knew that ifLightfoot were still ahead of him, his scent could not be carried toLightfoot. He was doing what is called "hunting up-wind."

  Lightfoot kept perfectly still and watched the hunter disappear amongthe trees. Then he silently got to his feet, shook himself lightly, andnoiselessly stole away over the hilltop towards another part of theGreen Forest. He felt sure that that hunter would not find him againthat day.

  CHAPTER XII

  LIGHTFOOT VISITS PADDY THE BEAVER

  Deep in the Green Forest is the pond where lives Paddy the Beaver. It isPaddy's own pond, for he made it himself. He made it by building a damacross the Laughing Brook.

  When Lightfoot bounded away through the Green Forest, after watching thehunter pass through the hollow below him, he remembered Paddy's pond."That's where I'll go," thought Lightfoot. "It is such a lonesome partof the Green Forest that I do not believe that hunter will come there.I'll just run over and make Paddy a friendly call."

  So Lightfoot bounded along deeper and deeper into the Green Forest.Presently through the trees he caught the gleam of water. It was Paddy'spond. Lightfoot approached it cautiously. He felt sure he was rid of thehunter who had followed him so far that day, but he knew that theremight be other hunters in the Green Forest. He knew that he couldn'tafford to be careless for even one little minute. Lightfoot had livedlong enough to know that most of the sad things and dreadful things thathappen in the Green Forest and on the Green Meadows are due tocarelessness. No one who is hunted, be he big or little, can afford everto be careless.

  Now Lightfoot had known of hunters hiding near water, hoping to shoothim when he came to drink. That always seemed to Lightfoot a dreadfulthing, an unfair thing. But hunters had done it before and they might doit again. So Lightfoot was careful to approach Paddy's pond up-wind.That is, he approached the side of the pond from which the Merry LittleBreezes were blowing toward him, and all the time he kept his noseworking. He knew that if any hunters were hidden there, the MerryLittle Breezes would bring him their scent and thus warn him.

  He had almost reached the edge of Paddy's pond when from the farthershore there came a sudden crash. It startled Lightfoot terribly for justan instant. Then he guessed what it meant. That crash was the falling ofa tree. There wasn't enough wind to blow over even the most shaky deadtree. There had been no sound of axes, so he knew it could not have beenchopped down by men. It must be that Paddy the Beaver had cut it, and ifPaddy had been working in daylight, it was certain that no one had beenaround that pond for a long time.

  So Lightfoot hurried forward eagerly, cautiously. When he reached thebank he looked across towards where the sound of that falling tree hadcome from; a branch of a tree was moving along in the water and halfhidden by it was a brown head. It was Paddy the Beaver taking the branchto his food pile.

  CHAPTER XIII

  LIGHTFOOT AND PADDY BECOME PARTNERS

  The instant Lightfoot saw Paddy the Beaver he knew that for the timebeing, at least, there was no danger. He knew that Paddy is one of theshyest of all the little people of the Green Forest and that when he isfound working in the daytime it means that he has been undisturbed for along time; otherwise he would work only at night.

  Paddy saw Lightfoot almost as soon as he stepped out on the bank. Hekept right on swimming with the branch of a poplar-tree until he reachedhis food pile, which, you know, is in the water. There he forced thebranch down until it was held by other branches already sunken in thepond. This done, he swam over to where Lightfoot was watching. "Hello,Lightfoot!" he exclaimed. "You are looking handsomer than ever. How areyou feeling these fine autumn days?"

  "Anxious," replied Lightfoot. "I am feeling terribly anxious. Do youknow what day this is?"

  "No," replied Paddy, "I don't know what day it is, and I don'tparticularly care. It is enough for me that it is one of the finestdays we've had for a long time."

  "I wish I could feel that way," said Lightfoot wistfully. "I wish Icould feel that way, Paddy, but I can't. No, Sir, I can't. You see, thisis the first of the most dreadful days in all the year for me. Thehunters started looking for me before Mr. Sun was really out of bed. Atleast one hunter did, and I don't doubt there are others. I fooled thatone, but from now to the end of the hunting season there will not be asingle moment of daylight when I will feel absolutely safe."

  Paddy crept out on the bank and chewed a little twig of poplarthoughtfully. Paddy says he can always think better if he is chewingsomething. "That's bad news, Lightfoot. I'm sorry to hear it. Icertainly am sorry to hear it," said Paddy. "Why anybody wants to huntsuch a handsome fellow as you are, I cannot understand. My, but that's abeautiful set of antlers you have!"

  "My, but that's a beautiful set of antlers you have!"]

  "They are the best I've ever had; but do you know, Paddy, I suspect thatthey may be one of the reasons I am hunted so," replied Lightfoot alittle sadly. "Good looks are not always to be desired. Have you seenany hunters around here lately?"

  Paddy shook his head. "Not a single hunter," he replied. "I tell youwhat it is, Lightfoot, let's be partners for a while. You stay rightaround my pond. If I see or hear or smell anything suspicious, I'll warnyou. You do the same for me. Two sets of eyes, ears and noses are betterthan one. What do you say, Lightfoot?"

  "I'll do it," replied Lightfoot.

  CHAPTER XIV

  HOW PADDY WARNED LIGHTFOOT

  It was a queer partnership, that partnership between Lightfoot andPaddy, but it was a good partnership. They had been the best of friendsfor a long time. Paddy had always been glad to have Lightfoot visit hispond. To tell the truth, he was rather fond of handsome Lightfoot. Youknow Paddy is himself not at all handsome. On land he is a ratherclumsy-looking fellow and really homely. So he admired Lightfootgreatly. That is one reason why he proposed that they be partners.

  Lightfoot himself thought the idea a splendid one. He spent that nightbrowsing not far from Paddy's pond. With the coming of daylight he laydown in a thicket of young hemlock-trees near the upper end of the pond.It was a quiet, peaceful day. It was so quiet and peaceful and beautifulit was hard to believe that hunters with terrible guns were searchingthe Green Forest for beautiful Lightfoot. But they were, and Lightfootknew that sooner or later one of them would be sure to visit Paddy'spond. So, though he rested and took short naps all through thatbeautiful day, he was anxious. He couldn't help but be.

  The next morning found Lightfoot back in the same place. But thismorning he took no naps. He rested, but all the time he was watchful andalert. A feeling of uneasiness possessed him. He felt in his bones thatdanger in the shape of a hunter with a terrible gun was not far distant.

  But the hours slipped away, and little by little h
e grew less uneasy. Hebegan to hope that that day would prove as peaceful as the previous dayhad been. Then suddenly there was a sharp report from the farther end ofPaddy's pond. It was almost like a pistol shot. However, it wasn't apistol shot. It wasn't a shot at all. It was the slap of Paddy's broadtail on the surface of the water. Instantly Lightfoot was on his feet.He knew just what that meant. He knew that Paddy had seen or heard orsmelled a hunter.

  It was even so. Paddy had heard a dry stick snap. It was a very tinysnap, but it was enough to warn Paddy. With only his head above water hehad watched in the direction from which that sound had come. Presently,stealing quietly along towards the pond, a hunter had come in view.Instantly, Paddy had brought his broad tail down on the water with allhis force. He knew that Lightfoot would know that that meant danger.Then Paddy had dived, and swimming under water, had sought the safetyof his house. He had done his part, and there was nothing more he coulddo.

  CHAPTER XV

  THE THREE WATCHERS

  When Paddy the Beaver slapped the water with his broad tail, making anoise like a pistol shot, Lightfoot understood that this was meant as awarning of danger. He was on his feet instantly, with eyes, ears, andnose seeking the cause of Paddy's warning. After a moment or two hestole softly up to the top of a little ridge some distance back fromPaddy's pond, but from the top of which he could see the whole of thepond. There he hid among some close-growing young hemlock-trees. Itwasn't long before he saw a hunter with a terrible gun come down to theshore of the pond.

  Now the hunter had heard Paddy slap the water with his broad tail. Ofcourse. There would have been something very wrong with his ears had hefailed to hear it.

  "Confound that Beaver!" muttered the hunter crossly. "If there was aDeer anywhere around this pond, he probably is on his way now. I'll havea look around and see if there are any signs."

  So the hunter went on to the edge of Paddy's pond and then began to walkaround it, studying the ground as he walked. Presently he found thefootprints of Lightfoot in the mud where Light foot had gone down tothe pond to drink.

  "I thought as much," muttered the hunter. "Those tracks were made lastnight. That Deer probably was lying down somewhere near here, and Imight have had a shot but for that pesky Beaver. I'll just look the landover, and then I think I'll wait here awhile. If that Deer isn't toobadly scared, he may come back."

  So the hunter went quite around the pond, looking into all likelyhiding-places. He found where Lightfoot had been lying, and he knew thatin all probability Lightfoot had been there when Paddy gave the dangersignal.

  "It's of no use for me to try to follow him," thought the hunter. "It istoo dry for me to track him. He may not be so badly scared, after all.I'll just find a good place and wait."

  So the hunter found an old log behind some small trees and there satdown. He could see all around Paddy's pond. He sat perfectly still. Hewas a clever hunter and he knew that so long as he did not move he wasnot likely to be noticed by any sharp eyes that might come that way.What he didn't know was that Lightfoot had been watching him all thetime and was even then standing where he could see him. And anotherthing he didn't know was that Paddy the Beaver had come out of hishouse and, swimming under water, had reached a hiding-place on theopposite shore from which he too had seen the hunter sit down on thelog.

  So the hunter watched for Lightfoot, and Lightfoot and Paddy watched thehunter.

  CHAPTER XVI

  VISITORS TO PADDY'S POND

  That hunter was a man of patience. Also he was a man who understood thelittle people of the Green Forest and the Green Meadows. He knew that ifhe would not be seen he must not move. So he didn't move. He kept asmotionless as if he were a part of the very log on which he was sitting.

  For some time there was no sign of any living thing. Then, from over thetree tops in the direction of the Big River, came the whistle of swiftwings, and Mr. and Mrs. Quack alighted with a splash in the pond. For afew moments they sat on the water, a picture of watchful suspicion. Theywere looking and listening to make sure that no danger was near.Satisfied at last, they began to clean their feathers. It was plain thatthey felt safe. Paddy the Beaver was tempted to warn them that they werenot as safe as they thought, but as long as the hunter did not movePaddy decided to wait.

  Now the hunter was sorely tempted to shoot these Ducks, but he knew thatif he did he would have no chance that day to get Lightfoot the Deer,and it was Lightfoot he wanted. So Mr. and Mrs. Quack swam about withineasy range of that terrible gun without once suspecting that danger wasanywhere near.

  By and by the hunter's keen eyes caught a movement at one end of Paddy'sdam. An instant later Bobby Coon appeared. It was clear that Bobby wasquite unsuspicious. He carried something, but just what the hunter couldnot make out. He took it down to the edge of the water and therecarefully washed it. Then he climbed up on Paddy's dam and began to eat.You know Bobby Coon is very particular about his food. Whenever there iswater near, Bobby washes his food before eating. Once more the hunterwas tempted, but did not yield to the temptation, which was a very goodthing for Bobby Coon.

  All this Lightfoot saw as he stood among the little hemlock-trees at thetop of the ridge behind the hunter. He saw and he understood. "It isbecause he wants to kill me that he doesn't shoot at Mr. and Mrs. Quackor Bobby Coon," thought Lightfoot a little bitterly. "What have I everdone that he should be so anxious to kill me?"

  Still the hunter sat without moving. Mr. and Mrs. Quack contentedlyhunted for food in the mud at the bottom of Paddy's pond. Bobby Coonfinished his meal, crossed the dam and disappeared in the Green Forest.He had gone off to take a nap somewhere. Time slipped away. The huntercontinued to watch patiently for Lightfoot, and Lightfoot and Paddy theBeaver watched the hunter. Finally, another visitor appeared at theupper end of the pond--a visitor in a wonderful coat of red. It wasReddy Fox.

  CHAPTER XVII

  SAMMY JAY ARRIVES

  When Reddy Fox arrived at the pond of Paddy the Beaver, the hunter whowas hiding there saw him instantly. So did Lightfoot. But no one elsedid. He approached in that cautious, careful way that he always useswhen he is hunting. The instant he reached a place where he could seeall over Paddy's pond, he stopped as suddenly as if he had been turnedto stone. He stopped with one foot lifted in the act of taking a step.He had seen Mr. and Mrs. Quack.

  Now you know there is nothing Reddy Fox likes better for a dinner than aDuck. The instant he saw Mr. and Mrs. Quack, a gleam of longing creptinto his eyes and his mouth began to water. He stood motionless untilboth Mr. and Mrs. Quack had their heads under water as they searched forfood in the mud in the bottom of the pond. Then like a red flash hebounded out of sight behind the dam of Paddy the Beaver.

  Presently the hunter saw Reddy's black nose at the end of the dam asReddy peeped around it to watch Mr. and Mrs. Quack. The latter wereslowly moving along in that direction as they fed. Reddy was quick tosee this. If he remained right where he was, and Mr. and Mrs. Quackkept on feeding in that direction, the chances were that he would have adinner of fat Duck. All he need do was to be patient and wait. So, withhis eyes fixed fast on Mr. and Mrs. Quack, Reddy Fox crouched behindPaddy's dam and waited.

  Watching Reddy and the Ducks, the hunter almost forgot Lightfoot theDeer. Mr. and Mrs. Quack were getting very near to where Reddy waswaiting for them. The hunter was tempted to get up and frighten thoseDucks. He didn't want Reddy Fox to have them, because he hoped some dayto get them himself.

  "I suppose," thought he, "I was foolish not to shoot them when I hadthe chance. They are too far away now, and it looks very much as if thatred rascal will get one of them. I believe I'll spoil that red scamp'splans by frightening them away. I don't believe that Deer will be backhere to-day anyway, so I may as well save those Ducks."

  But the hunter did nothing of the kind. You see, just as he was gettingready to step out from his hiding-place, Sammy Jay arrived. He perchedin a tree close to the end of Paddy's dam and at once he spied ReddyFox. It didn't take him a second to d
iscover what Reddy was hiding therefor. "Thief, thief, thief!" screamed Sammy, and then looked down atReddy with a mischievous look in his sharp eyes. There is nothing SammyJay delights in more than in upsetting the plans of Reddy Fox. At thesound of Sammy's voice, Mr. and Mrs. Quack swam hurriedly towards themiddle of the pond. They knew exactly what that warning meant. Reddy Foxlooked up at Sammy Jay and snarled angrily. Then, knowing it was uselessto hide longer, he bounded away through the Green Forest to huntelsewhere.

  CHAPTER XVIII

  THE HUNTER LOSES HIS TEMPER

  The hunter, hidden near the pond of Paddy the Beaver, chuckled silently.That is to say, he laughed without making any sound. The hunter thoughtthe warning of Mr. and Mrs. Quack by Sammy Jay was a great joke onReddy. To tell the truth, he was very much pleased. As you know, hewanted those Ducks himself. He suspected that they would stay in thatlittle pond for some days, and he planned to return there and shoot themafter he had got Lightfoot the Deer. He wanted to get Lightfoot first,and he knew that to shoot at anything else might spoil his chance ofgetting a shot at Lightfoot.