CHOOSING THE KING 9 



and our Comrade will be like a Man without 

 hands all Summer. Why, even his own Wife 

 won t look at him while he is in that condition. 

 Then the young horns come out soft and pulpy, 

 all covered with velvet, and until they get hard 

 again are tender, and he s afraid to strike any 

 thing with them. You see, we must have some 

 body that is King all the year round. Why, 

 Mooswa couldn t tell us about the Bait; he can t 

 put his nose to the ground ; he can t even eat 

 grass, because of his short neck.&quot; 



&quot; I wish I could,&quot; sighed the Moose. &quot; I get 

 tired of the purple-headed Moose-weed, and the 

 leaves and twigs. The young grass looks so 

 sweet and fresh. But Carcajou is right; I was 

 made this way I don t know why, though.&quot; 



&quot; No, you weren t! &quot; objected Whisky-Jack; 

 &quot; you re such a lordly chap when you get your 

 horns in good order, and have gone around so 

 much with that big nose stuck up in the air, that 

 you Ve just got into that shape He, he ! I ve 

 seen Men like you. The Hudson s Bay Factor, 

 at Slave Lake, is just your sort. Bah ! I don t 

 want you for a King.&quot; 



The Bull Moose waved his tasselled beard back 

 and forth angrily, and stamped a sharp, powerful 

 fore-foot on the ground like a trip-hammer. 



Black Fox interfered again. &quot; Why do you 



