The Wapiti and his Antlers. 79. 



probably they had good reason for doing so, for the stately old 

 wapiti bull who, with majestic gait, stepped out from the deep 

 shadow into the flood of silvery light, was no doubt a match for any 

 two of the young striplings who had disported themselves on the 

 glade. Slowly he stalked toward the middle of the meadow, 

 occasionally whistling, but more frequently stretching out his 

 distended neck and lowering and raising his head, as if testing the 

 supple strength of his shoulder muscles, in all the consciousness of 

 his unvanquished strength. He was not further than seventy-five 

 yards from me, and in the bright light I fancied I almost could see 

 the eye of the noble beast, or count the branching tines, as he 

 swayed his many-pointed antlers to and fro. One by one, with 

 furtive tread, the young fry returned to the glade ; and presently a 

 couple of young ones, more venturesome and impudent than the 

 rest, actually made a boldly planned but feebly executed dash 

 towards the master stag, for before they got within reach of his 

 massive horns, five feet long, they swerved to one side and began 

 butting each other with considerable vigour. Not long, however, 

 did this by-play last, for presently another great wapiti, moving at 

 a fast trot, came out of the forest, and put the young combatants 

 to much the same sudden rout as the first master stag had done 

 when he appeared on the scene. The latter, however, stood his 

 ground, and for a minute or so the two' faced each other, all but 

 their heads motionless. The last comer did not appear alone on 

 what was soon to prove a hard-fought battlefield, for four or five 

 hinds had followed him out of the forest. With gingerly step, 

 raised heads, and pricked ears, they came out into the open. 

 Probably they had been alarmed by some sign of my presence, 

 and were now on the qui vive, while their lord quite oblivious 

 to other danger had centred his attention upon his rival. How 

 the two stags approached each other, as well as the actual com- 

 mencement of hostilities I was prevented from seeing, for the wary 

 hinds, making a circle, as if to spy out whether the coast was 

 really clear, had placed themselves between the two stags and my 

 hiding-place. 



