52 THE MOOSE 



the world, with strange, soft, furtive rusthngs in 

 the undergrowth as the nocturnal hunters passed 

 through ; the creaking of the trees in the wind, the 

 sudden crash to earth of rotten boughs, and the 

 harsh, prolonged screech of some predatory night- 

 flier. 



Too-whoo-op 1 



A ghostly-winged presence with luminous lamp- 

 like eyes, swept low to ground, touching the calf as 

 he lay. 



Too-whoo-op 1 



Whinnying, the terrified young moose sprang 

 up and fled to his mother's side, snuggling close, 

 happy in his belief in her invincibility. Eagle- 

 owls were nothing to him when safeguarded thus. 

 He had an idea that the cow was invulnerable — 

 nothing could harm her. 



And, indeed, her immense indifference to danger 

 fostered the notion. Not exactly indifference, for 

 she saw after herself to a certain extent ; but com- 

 pared with the alertness of African antelopes, with 

 their outposts and sentinels, their plans for escape 

 and protective schemes, the inhabitants of Alaskan 

 forests appear absolutely lethargic. Of course, on 

 the constant watchfulness of the antelopes of Africa 



