146 THE MOOSE 



a practised trapper above all other men, the hunter 

 set to work deftly, still keeping on his hampering 

 mitts, which enclosed all his fingers together, save 

 the thumb, resting in a partition to itself — a little 

 fur bag. 



It was an astonishing sight, as the skin was 

 stripped, to see the thick layers of fat covering the 

 carcass, for all the world as though no compulsory 

 fast had been indulged in. Some of this the trapper 

 reserved for frying purposes. His supply of moose 

 suet was getting low. 



At last the heavy pelt lay rolled up ready for 

 packing home. The carcass the trapper had to 

 leave on the stained snow for the foxes and the 

 wolves. It was enough to pull the bodies of the 

 cubs and the weighty green pelt. He tied the 

 former together, lest one should jerk off the sleigh, 

 added the take of martens and the rolled bear- 

 skin, adjusted his snow-shoes, and set off for his 

 log hut. 



The snow here and there was very bad going, 

 and it was wonderful how a man so impeded could 

 so gamely struggle on. Nature has a way of suit- 

 ing strength to the burdens, as the burdens to the 

 strength. 



