156 THE MOOSE 



Last of all to slip away was the leader — 

 Moosewa's ideal of all that a moose should be, 

 of all he himself hoped to become. The big bull 

 was lean and cadaverous of appearance now, for 

 his horns, soft as putty, had commenced to grow at 

 a great rate, and the drain on his system told. 



No leader ever had a more faithful follower. 

 Down every yard of the forest trails Moosewa 

 dogged the big bull closely, and at night slept with 

 one eye open lest he should lose him. It was so 

 odd, this desire of the moose for solitariness. All 

 other of the bush people had paired and hunted 

 together. 



By stratagem and never-failing watchfulness the 

 young moose managed to keep in some sort of 

 touch with his companion of the long winter imtil 

 summer was at hand. Once or twice he lost him 

 in the thick timber, but found him after careful 

 hunting ; then one make-believe summer day the 

 big bull swam across a wide lake Moosewa dared 

 not tackle, so vast and unending did its waters 

 seem. 



Thus the wonderful creature passed out of his 

 follower's ken. 



He was a great leader, the greatest Moosewa 



