100 THE MOOSE 



into the water, he patiently held it there long 

 enough to persuade the piscine army down below 

 that there was nothing to be afraid of. The fish 

 gathered about the trap because the oil in the paw 

 was an irresistible attraction. Now and again the 

 fisherman withdrew his paw, closed on a fistful of 

 shining silver, which he released most carefully, 

 and ate in ones with evident enjoyment, beginning 

 on each minute fish — so minute that one would 

 have said the largest was beneath the notice of 

 a bear — at the tail-end. As he neared the head he 

 snapped it off and spat it clear away, with a Uttle 

 "piff" which sounded quite clearly on the silence. 

 After each separate banquet he meditated awhile, 

 as though calculating the heights of bliss to which 

 he had attained ; then, with a sideway tilt to give 

 his arm greater length, he began to fish again. 



For some time the yearling watched the pro- 

 ceedings, so interested was he. Suddenly the bear 

 brought up his paw from the depths with no fish 

 in its grip, and raised his head, looking furtively 

 from side to side, seeing nothing to alarm him, 

 suspecting much. The wind had veered ever so 

 little, and some scent he did not like had reached 

 his delicately perceptive nostrils. 



