38 THE MOOSE 



Next season saw the birth of the most wonder- 

 full calf of the year, an exquisite creature so perfect 

 in feature and form that all the animals on the islet 

 talked of little else, and came in bodies to offer 

 congratulations. Even the hermit-beaver from the 

 other side of the water — a drone turned out by the 

 beaver community because he made nothing but 

 speeches about a three hours' working night — hear- 

 ing of the exceptionally beautiful new arrival, swam 

 across for a private view. He never appeared in 

 public if he could help it, because he was ashamed 

 of the triangle-shaped wedge missing from his tail, 

 a hall-mark designed, patented, and executed by 

 the world-savers for the beaver who will not work. 



Next morning when she awakened the old cow 

 found her calf missing. In his place lay a horrible 

 little furry animal, sharp-clawed and toothed, with 

 the wickedness of the centuries at the back of his 

 eyes. 



She knew it for a Puk-wudjie at once. It was 

 exactly like the specimen who had danced upon the 

 moose trail ; and she realized that the only thing 

 for her to do was to put some distance between 

 herself and the evil thing. 



Into the river she plunged, and made the other 



