THE FOREST KING 177 



which led to a desolate valley, sombre from its 

 narrowness, with high, spruce-grown sides, and an 

 insignificant rivulet, one of the sources of the 

 Sushitna, running down the centre. 



Making his way along with some difficulty, 

 bridging the snow-drifts sometimes in floundering 

 jumps, the careful leader, who would call no halt as 

 yet, led the band through a dense mist sweeping 

 down fi'om the glaciers. Suddenly a phantom form 

 loomed up — a young bull moose, who, after many 

 preliminaries of investigation, thrust his com- 

 panionship on the company. It was difficult in 

 a fog which hid objects twenty paces off to form 

 any correct idea of his size, but barring a lesser 

 span of horn, he did not at first sight appear of 

 much less bulk than the giant leader himself. 



He was a brave spirit, the chance-comer, and 

 contested the sovereignty of the yards almost at 

 once, questioning the big deer's omnipotence, and 

 trying to take on himself the ordering of things. 

 Moosewa stood the interference patiently enough 

 for awhile, and then, since impertinence may be 

 carried too far, set about ousting the usurper. 



He had ample warning. The grunting, deep 



challenge note bade him make ready. 



23 



