noon before
He grinned when Shep took a tumble , but aided the lad to arise without any comment . The old hunter had seen some deer at a place called Doorknob Valley , a hollow to the southwest of Firefly Lake , and led them in that direction . The trail was by no means an even one , and often they had to force their way through bushes half buried in the snow . It was noon before they came in sight of Doorknob Valley , with some hills running around one side and a series of cliffs and rough rocks and scrub pines on the other . To the boys ' dismay , not a deer was in sight . Snap looked questioningly at the old hunter . `` I think we 'll find 'em somewhere around here , '' said Jed .