Читать книгу Camping in the Winter Woods: Adventures of Two Boys in the Maine Woods онлайн

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In jumping back from the sudden attack, the boys overturned the canoe and were thrown out. Ed and Ben fell into the water, but George landed squarely astride the back of the frightened buck. He had sufficient presence of mind to grasp the antlers and hang on. And then began a ride the like of which few if any boys have ever experienced!

GEORGE LANDED FAIRLY ASTRIDE THE BACK OF THE FRIGHTENED BUCK

The deer, feeling the weight of the lad on its back, threw itself forward in a series of wild leaps half out of water. George gripped the wet body with his knees and hung grimly to the rough horns. He had no desire to fall off into the deep water through which the animal was taking him in its mad flight to the opposite side of the lake.

Ben had meantime boosted Ed to the top of the overturned canoe, and was swimming with it toward the shore they had just left. Both of them were yelling encouragement to the alarmed boy racing through the water on the back of the deer.

The buck, unable to rid himself of his unwelcome rider, began to twist and turn his lithe body in an effort to throw him off. Then what the guide had dreaded happened. The buck dove beneath the water and took George with it!