A Day with the Elk 



them. For my part I have always had quite 

 enough to do to keep my head and feet agreed 

 as to the direction of camp. Any extra strain, 

 such as the necessity of looking for a mislaid 

 horse, is sure to cause a disagreement be- 

 tween the members, and so bring on a catas- 

 trophe. 



I had been out several hours. It was get- 

 ting on toward evening, and I was well on my 

 way home. There was no lack of elk in the 

 neighborhood, for my more fortunate friends 

 had proved that they were easy to find. I 

 could see that bands had roved that very 

 morning over the country through which my 

 path lay. I could see where some great bull 

 had thrashed the young sapling with his 

 horns till the tender bark was stripped off, or 

 hung in long, wet ribbons from the wounded 

 tree. And in the pools where the big fellows 

 had wallowed, the mud had scarce settled. 

 In places the grass was trampled and littered 

 as if by a bunch of cattle. The "sign" was 

 plentiful and fresh. Still I heard no whistle, 

 nor saw a living thing, save now and then 

 when a big-eyed blacktail doe would gaze at 

 me with mild wonder until she got my wind, 

 5 65 



