THE WAPITI. 179 



Clearing the ground of stones and sticks, 

 we lay down beside the fire, pulled our soft 

 felt hats over our ears, buttoned our jackets, 

 and went to sleep. Of course our slumbers 

 were fitful and broken, for every hour or two 

 the fire got low and had to be replenished. 

 We wakened shivering out of each spell of 

 restless sleep to find the logs smouldering ; 

 we were alternately scorched and frozen. 



As the first faint streak of dawn appeared 

 in the dark sky my companion touched me 

 lightly on the arm. The fire was nearly out ; 

 we felt numbed by the chill air. At once we 

 sprang up, stretched our arms, shook our- 

 selves, examined our rifles, swallowed a 

 mouthful or two of bread, and walked off 

 through the gloomy forest. 



At first we could scarcely see our way, but 

 it grew rapidly lighter. The gray mist rose 

 and wavered over the pools and wet places ; 

 the morning voices of the wilderness began 

 to break the death-like stillness. After we 

 had walked a couple of miles the mountain 

 tops on our right hand reddened in the sun- 

 rays. 



Then, as we trod noiselessly over the dense 

 moss, and on the pine needles under the scat- 

 tered trees, we heard a sharp clang and clatter 

 up the valley ahead of us. We knew this 

 meant game of some sort ; and stealing lightly 

 and cautiously forward we soon saw before us 

 the cause of the noise. 



In a little glade, a hundred and twenty-five 

 yards from us, two bull elk were engaged in 

 deadly combat, while two others were looking 

 on. It was a splendid sight. The great 



