We picketed the horses at a safe dis- 

 tance, so that they could not be seen or 

 heard from the lake. At one end the 

 shore sloped gradually into the water, 

 and here Nimrod discovered many 

 tracks of elk, a few deer, and one set of 

 black bear. He said the lake was evi- 

 dently a favourite drinking place, that 

 a band of elk had been coming daily 

 to water, and that, according to their 

 habits, they ought to come again be- 

 fore dusk. 



So we concealed ourselves on a little 

 bluff to the right and waited. The sun 

 had begun to cast long lines on the 

 earth, and the little circle of water was 

 already in shadow when Nimrod held 

 up his finger as a warning for silence. 

 We listened. We were so still that the 

 whole world seemed to be holding its 

 breath. 



I heard a faint noise as of a snapping 



