THE TRAPPER 139 



and played together in floating flight, their deep 

 cries changed now to the triumphant " Kung ! 

 Kung /" 



And in its tang was the call ! Moosewa heard 

 it, all beasts heard it. Spring stood golden sandalled 

 on the threshold of the frost-bound woods. 



It was well. The twigs and bark of trees, on 

 which the moose entirely depended now, were 

 almost frosted out. 



Then came the event which drove the deer far 

 away into unbroken snowy regions, where moving 

 about was difl^icult. 



They were travelling slowly down the well-beaten 

 yards one morning, looking over the eaten-out 

 bushes for a chance sprig or top, when a soft 

 swish, swish on the snow made them draw together 

 fearfully. 



A dark figure flickered across an abbreviated 

 horizon, carrying across his shoulders a bunch of 

 dead, stiffly-frozen martens, and pulling after him 

 a light sleigh, made of birch thongs lashed together, 

 with long runners on the principle of skis. And as 

 he sped along on swift snow-shoes he sang in a 

 weird, strange way that reminded Moosewa of the 

 cry of Keneu in his eyrie — Keneu saluting the dawn. 



