A Day with the Elk 



of doing useless harm. Up and over the 

 ridge and into the timber he went, and I saw 

 him no more. It was all over in a moment; 

 then I remembered the young bull I had shot, 

 and went and sat down by him. I expressed 

 my profound regret for what had occurred, 

 and explained how it had all happened. His 

 grandpapa should have shown himself a mo- 

 ment sooner, or at least should have had the 

 decency to separate himself from the ladies 

 when running away. And then, having per- 

 formed the necessary rites, I left him where 

 he lay, and started for camp to get a packer 

 and a horse. 



My way lay over the very ridge the elk 

 had crossed in their flight. Thinking that I 

 might get another chance at the big fellow, I 

 went carefully along, keeping a sharp look- 

 out ahead. For about an hour I kept on 

 through the woods. It was getting dark fast, 

 but I was very near home, and could see the 

 great park on the edge of which our camp 

 lay. As I walked, I could hear from time 

 to time the whistling of bulls on all sides; 

 some far off, and some seemingly quite near 

 at hand. In crossing a large open patch of 



5* 69 



