MOOSEWA'S DEATH 243 



Not since he had convoyed an American magnate 

 who bungled all his shots had the hunchback served 

 such tyros as these. They had come to Alaska, 

 surely, to blast the rising reputation of an honest 

 and expensive hunter. Of what avail was the 

 power to call up an unmatchable moose only to 

 lose him in the end ? 



And when the younger sportsman came on a 

 collection of recently formed " stamping " places 

 (which the bull moose makes by pawing with his 

 fore-feet until he gets a saucer-shaped morass, five 

 feet or so in diameter), by which he suggested sitting 

 up in a tree to wait for the reappearance of the 

 game, Pitka's last shred of patience deserted him. 

 He '* went sick," and left the tyros to hunt alone. 



Therefore was Moosewa safe from pursuit, even 

 if it had been easy to come up with him. He stayed 

 well, going firmly and strong, until he had covered 

 ten miles or more, and still the Kenai River, twist- 

 ing and winding, threaded its silver way beside. 



His wounds and his weariness made themselves 

 felt at last, and he sank to rest, with his exquisite 

 head dropped, as though the great weight of it 

 added to the strain. 



His little day had passed — the stricken creature 



