When the old hunter raised his hand, the boys knew it was a signal to halt.  Jed Sanborn crouched low and wormed his way to some bushes fringing the glade, and the young hunters did the same.

It was a thrilling sight and it made the boys tremble in eager anticipation.  Not a word was spoken, for they scarcely dared to breathe.

In a minute each hunter had his gun into position, Giant resting on a rock and Whopper in the crotch of a low tree.

“I’ll take the buck,” whispered Jed Sanborn.  “Ready?”

“Yes.”

“Then fire!”

Crack! went the several firearms, in a scattering volley, and the buck and one of the others pitched headlong, not to rise.  Another deer was hit in the side, but leaped into the bushes and was soon lost to sight.  Still another went limping off on three legs.

“After ’em!  Finish ’em up!” yelled Jed Sanborn, and led in the chase, across the glade and into the brushwood beyond.  Here they caught sight of the limping deer, and all of the boys gave it a shot, which finished it in short order.

“Three, anyway,” was the old hunter’s comment.  “Not so bad.”

“You brought down the buck and Snap brought down the deer near him,” said Whopper.

“And all of you brought down the third one,” said Snap.  “I think as Jed says, it is not such a bad haul.”

“Can we get the others?” asked Giant, anxiously.  “I want to do better than I have.”

“No use of going after ’em now,” said the old hunter.  “They will run too far.  Some day—–­listen!”

They listened, and from a distance heard two gun shots, followed by several more.

“Somebody else is out,” said Shep.  “Wonder who it can be?”

He was destined to find out before he was many hours older.

CHAPTER XVII

THE RIVAL CAMPERS

It was no light matter to get the three deer down to the lake shore.  The old hunter showed the boys how to lash the game to long poles, resting the poles on their shoulders as they walked along.

“I believe I’ll take the buck to town,” said Jed Sanborn.  “I can get a good price for him there.”

“Will you take one of the deer home for us?” asked Snap, after consulting with his fellow-members of the gun club.

“Sure I will, lad.”

“We want the meat divided,” came from Shep.  “Give each family its fair share.”  And so it was arranged, and the boys told Jed Sanborn to tell their folks that all was going well and they were “having the time of their lives.”

After Jed Sanborn had departed the four boys set to work to cut up the deer they had kept.  They nailed the hide up so that it might he preserved, and then cut a fine venison steak for supper.

“Now we’ve got a real camp!” cried Snap, enthusiastically.  “Just think of it!  Deer meat!” And he fairly danced a jig for joy.