ten o'clock in
the morning
The next day the hunting party went out , and Percival , to his great delight , was permitted to accompany it . As they had a long way to go -- for they had selected the hunting ground -- they set off early in the morning , before daylight , Mr Campbell having particularly requested that they would not return home late . The party had proceeded many miles before they arrived at the spot where Malachi thought that they would fall in with some venison , which was the principal game that they sought . It was not till near ten o'clock in the morning that they stood on the ground which had been selected for the sport . It was an open part of the forest , and the snow lay in large drifts , but here and there on the hill-sides the grass was nearly bare , and the deer were able , by scraping with their feet , to obtain some food . They were all pretty well close together when they arrived . Percival and Henry were about a quarter of a mile behind , for Percival was not used to the snow-shoes , and did not get on so well as the others , Malachi and the rest with him halted , that Henry and Percival might come up with them , and then , after they had recovered their breath a little , he said , `` Now , you see there 's a fine lot of deer here , Master Percival , but as you know nothing about woodcraft , and may put us all out , observe what I say to you .