THE ANTLERS OF THE CARIBOU 95 



was for him to roll his enemy over, disengage, 

 rip the dark bull's unfortunate flank, and 

 tread him down into the sand. But he did 

 nothing of the sort. He himself staggered 

 forward with the fall of his adversary. Then 

 he drew back again, but slowly. With the 

 motion his adversary regained his feet. Once 

 more the two stood, armed front to front, 

 grunting, straining, sweating, heaving, but 

 neither giving ground an inch. 



" Locked ! " said the hunter, under his 

 breath. 



That, indeed, was the fact. The two pairs 

 of antlers were interlaced. But the sinister 

 truth was not yet realized by the combatants 

 themselves, because, when either tried to 

 back free, so as to renew the attack more 

 advantageously, it seemed to him quite 

 natural that the other should furiously follow 

 him up. In the confused struggle that now 

 followed, they more than once pivoted com- 

 pletely around ; and the two cows, perceiving 

 something unusual in the combat, drew off 

 with a disapproving air to the extremity of the 

 sandspit. Little by little the white bull 

 appeared to be getting a shade the better of the 

 duel ; for at length, regaining his first position, 

 he began forcing his rival steadily, though 

 slowly, back toward the woods. Then all at 



