A CARIBOU HUNT 93 



somewhat eaten away by the mice, but there was still 

 enough regal beauty left to entitle them to an honored 

 place in my collection where they now hang. If I 

 was right in my supposition that they were worn by 

 his highness the year before, their number of points 

 told his age to be twelve. My son and his guide had 

 succeeded in getting a glimpse of him, some two weeks 

 before ; and I, after six days of watching and stalking, 

 sitting and standing and lying down, also got a 

 glimpse. 



But it was a stingy one. In stepping through the 

 bog I had carelessly broken a twig with my foot. 

 Then I heard a snort away off to my right, and look- 

 ing in that direction I saw a cow bounding away with 

 the gentleman I was after in front of her. I recog- 

 nized the big fellow as he passed between two trees, 

 and that was all. 



I have heard of a negro melody entitled " Hesitate, 

 Mr. Nigger, Hesitate ! " and possibly his imperial 

 highness had heard of it, too. A dozen times or more 

 had my ears been tickled with the racket he made in 

 rushing through the growth of spruce that borders 

 the bog, and striking his antlers against the trees. Yet 

 he wouldn't step out into the open and show himself. 

 When it seemed certain that he was about to do so, he 

 would hesitate, as if he were listening to the darky 

 melody and deemed it provident to follow its advice. 

 He was wise. " Hesitate, Mr. Nigger " succeeded in 



