JoesawhowWetzelusedthisability,butwhatitreallywasbaffledhim。Herealizedthatwordswerenotadequatetoexplainfullythisgreatart。Itspossessionrequiredamarvelouslykeenvision,aneyeperfectlyfamiliarwitheverycreature,tree,rock,shrubandthingbelongingintheforest;aneyesoquickinflightastodetectinstantlytheslightestchangeinnature,oranythingunnaturaltothatenvironment。Thehearingmustbedelicate,likethatofadeer,andthefineritis,thekeenerwillbethewoodsman。Lastly,thereisthefeelingthatpromptstheoldhuntertosay:\"Nogameto—day。\"Itissomethinginhimthatspeakswhen,asheseesanight—hawkcirclinglowneartheground,hesays:\"Astormto—morrow。\"ItiswhatmakesanIndianathomeinanywilderness。Thecloudsmayhidetheguidingstar;thenorthingmaybelost;theremaybenomossonthetrees,ordifferenceintheirbark;theridgesmaybeflatorlostaltogether,andtheremaybenowater—courses;yettheIndianbravealwaysgoesforhisteepee,straightasacrowflies。ItwasthisvoicewhichrightlybadeWetzel,whenhewasbaffledbyanIndian\'strailfadingamongtherocks,tocross,orcircle,oradvanceinthedirectiontakenbyhiswilyfoe。
Joehadpracticedtrailingdeerandotherhoofedgame,untilhewastrueasahound。Thenhebegantoperfecthimselfintheartoffollowingahumanbeingthroughtheforest。ExceptafewoldIndiantrails,whichtherainhadhalfobliterated,hehadnotrackstodiscoversaveWetzel\'s,andthesewereashardtofindastheairycourseofagrosbeak。Onsoftgroundormarshygrass,whichWetzelavoidedwherehecould,heleftafainttrail,butonahardsurface,forallthetracesheleft,hemightaswellnothavegoneoverthegroundatall。
Joe\'spersistencestoodhimingoodstead;hehungon,andthemorehefailed,theharderhetried。OftenhewouldslipoutofthecaveafterWetzelhadgone,andtrytofindwhichwayhehadtaken。Inbrief,theladbecameafinemarksman,agoodhunter,andaclose,perseveringstudentofthewilderness。
Helovedthewoods,andalltheycontained。Helearnedthehabitsofthewildcreatures。Eachdeer,eachsquirrel,eachgrousethathekilled,taughthimsomelesson。
Hewasalwaysupwiththelarktowatchthesunriseredandgrandovertheeasternhills,andchaseawaythewhitemistfromthevalleys。Evenifhewasnothunting,orroamingthewoods,ifitwasnecessaryforhimtolielowincampawaitingWetzel\'sreturn,hewasalwayscontent。Manyhoursheidledawaylyingonhisback,withthewestwindblowingsoftlyoverhim,hiseyeonthedistanthills,wherethecloudshadowssweptacrosswithslow,majesticmovement,likehugeshipsatsea。