A Day with the Elk 



brink. Nothing else showed. The cow raised 

 her dripping muzzle. I was so near that I 

 could hear the drops tinkle as they fell back 

 into the stream. And then a puff of wind, soft 

 as a sigh, fanned my cheek, and with a snort 

 and a bound the two cows and their youthful 

 escort vanished back into the wood. They 

 had got my wind, for see me they could not, 

 and no log could have lain more still. 



Then arose a mighty trampling on the 

 other side of the stream. The trio had 

 evidently rejoined the band, startling them 

 by their sudden retreat. I crept across 

 the stream, and crawled through the thicket 

 to spy out the land beyond. A thick, low 

 clump of trees thrust itself like a venomous 

 green tongue out into the open park which 

 stretched away in front of me to the right 

 and left. Beyond the park was a heavily 

 wooded ridge, whither I felt sure the band 

 had gone. But no — not all! Further on, at the 

 extreme end of the green tongue of timber, 

 in full view and broadside on, stood a young 

 bull. He was evidently the last of the herd. 

 He stood gazing about him as if he won- 

 dered what had startled the others, and why 

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