A NIGHT OF HARDSHIPS. 185 



He threw his gun forwards, of course, at the first 

 movement of the animal, but the strange silence puz- 

 zled him. Not a sound, not a movement was made 

 by the big beast. Dyche thought he would light a 

 match, but gave up the idea for fear he would be at- 

 tacked when the brute saw what a puny thing he was. 

 He moved a few steps forwards, making as much noise 

 as possible, but the animal did not move. Again he 

 advanced, shuffling his feet, and the strange ob- 

 ject moved only a step or two and again stood 

 still. Dyche knew of no animal as large as this 

 which would act in that way, unless it was a grizzly 

 bear which had never seen a man. His next im- 

 pulse was to shout, for he knew that the human voice 

 had a wonderful effect upon wild animals. Acting 

 on this idea he shrieked and shouted, but not a sound 

 came from the place where the strange beast stood. 

 He called his guide, he called all the names he could 

 think of, but not a motion was made. Then he 

 shouted again and called his old horse Charlie. The 

 result was most startling. Old Charlie answered with 

 a whinny from the very spot where the strange beast 

 stood. Another call brought the horse to him, and 

 then Dyche cried from revulsion of feeling. He 

 petted the horse, and then fell to wondering what 

 could have brought him so far from camp. It was the 

 horse that had to be driven away to grass. Know- 

 ing that there must be a trail over which the horse 

 had come, Dyche took hold of his tail and endeavoured 

 to drive him back to the tent. 



Charlie went forwards a few paces and then 

 stopped. Dyche clucked at him and struck him, but 



