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Ed goes into the forest before the others are awake. He sees a deer and fires two of his four arrows, but he is mentally unprepared to kill and misses. Ed tries to fire another shot, but the deer is gone. When Ed returns to the campsite, the men load their gear into the canoes. Ed takes Bobby as his canoe partner because he can see that Bobby is upset about his decision to come on the trip, and Ed fears Lewis will not put up with Bobby’s complaining. Ed discovers that Bobby is not a skillful paddler and worries their canoe, which is weighted down with gear, may overturn if they hit difficult rapids.
Ed signals Lewis and Drew to pull their canoe over to the bank. He asks Lewis to take some of the gear and supplies that he and Bobby have been carrying in their canoe. After a swim to cool off, the four men resume their journey. Ed and Bobby take the lead in their canoe, which now carries a much lighter load. Eventually, Bobby and Ed are about half a mile ahead of Lewis and Drew, and both men are exhausted from paddling in the heat of the afternoon.