STEPPING-STONES 41 



seasons by bush-fires, submerged herself nose deep 

 in the muddy shallows of the lake, there to remain 

 until the belching smoke and flames rolled by. 



Practically all the bush people made for safety 

 down the one open run of forest cover, and, guided 

 by instinct, passed out of the zone of danger. Only 

 the big bull moose remained hovering on the verge 

 of the flames until the last, and this because he 

 wanted to see how the bell-cow would set about 

 leading her stupid charges. Would the magic bell 

 lure still ? Would the cattle follow its charmed 

 sound through anything ? 



The old cow stood petrified, upbraiding her young 

 followers for their foolishness in coming to this 

 thickly-grown and sun-dried patch of forest, where 

 a flare-up might be expected at any moment. 



One young steer, with massive shoulders like 

 a wall, volunteered to break back if the rest would 

 follow — a senseless procedure when the way ahead 

 lay open ; but all remained wild-eyed waiting for 

 the cow, unheeding the road to safety, which 

 lessened its breadth each instant. Soon the leaping 

 tongues, curling along, would converge, and en- 

 circling the whole area, burn it out. 



In a flash it struck the moose that the cow was. 



6 



