The buck staggered to his feet; he turned this way and that.

When he saw the man and the dog he started toward them without a moment's hesitation.
At a warning word from Jonathan the dog sank on the snow.

Jonathan stepped behind a tree, which, however, was not large enough to screen his body.

He thought the buck would pass close by him and he determined to shoot at the most favorable moment.
The buck, however, showed no intention of passing by; in his abject terror he saw in the man and the dog foes less terrible than those which were yelping on his trail.

He came on in a lame uneven trot, making straight for the tree.