264 Trails to Woods and Waters 



tures in the woods that they always see or hear 

 us first, and that is why the forest often seems 

 to be deserted when we pass through. 



" Perhaps birds have been singing and 

 chirping, and squirrels have been chattering 

 a moment before, but as soon as the clumsy 

 foot of man comes pounding through the 

 woods, all becomes as quiet as though unin- 

 habited. 



" A moose, large and clumsy as he seems, 

 can travel more quietly in the woods than the 

 untrained man. One moment the great bull 

 will be standing behind a tree looking out 

 curiously at you as you go thrashing through 

 the aisles of the forest ; the next instant, with- 

 out the slightest sound of a footfall or the 

 snapping of a twig, he fades away like a gray 

 shadow and disappears like a ghost. 



" It would surprise you, Harry, to know 

 how many eyes are watching as you go 

 through the woods. Most of the wild crea- 

 tures do not flee away in panic, but secrete 

 themselves cunningly and watch to see what 

 this strange creature, man, is doing. 



