26 THE MOOSE 



big deer tumbled obligingly, putting up no sort of 

 a fight. 



The wolf looked at the conqueror, as he stood, 

 with hunched shoulders, peering down into the 

 ravine. Here, of course, was the invincible, with 

 whom she ought to throw in her lot. He was 

 wonderful ! Bigger far than any grizzly, with im- 

 mensely long and powerful claws, curved and dark 

 in colour. 



Down the steep bluff, clothed to the bottom 

 with thickly -growing salmon- berry bushes, the 

 bear scrambled and lurched his way, followed by 

 Apukwa, who slid down four feet together, after 

 the fashion of an otter on its slide. 



The bear ate until satisfied, and then the gaunt 

 wolf, who had been sitting on her haunches a few 

 feet away, had her share. More than ever, as she 

 bolted tasty morsels of her departed broken reed of 

 a leader, was she convinced that here beside her, 

 licking his paws, as story-book bears always do, was 

 the animal to follow. Hitch her waggon to this 

 bear, and, rabbits or no rabbits, the future was 

 provided against. 



Almost before the wolf had become accustomed 

 to the ease and comfort of her lot, the brown 



