BIG MOOSE OF LITTLE TOBIQUE 123 



prepare himself for another night's flirtation. But 

 alas! the best-laid plans of a moose, like those of 

 mice and men, "aft gang aglee." Leisurely he ap- 

 proached until he came quite within range. Then 

 the sharp crack of a rifle rang out on the air and the 

 flirtation days of the " Big Moose of Little Tobique " 

 were ended forever. The ball had pierced his heart 

 and he fell in his tracks a few feet from the shore. 



The guide gave me a shake of the hand and a con- 

 gratulatory hug, and then jumping over the prostrate 

 quarry tried to slew him around so we might pull him 

 out of the water by his hind feet. In this we didn't 

 succeed. So I told the guide to go to the camp and 

 bring the cook — a strapping big chap — and also a 

 rope. Fastening the latter to one of the moose's hind 

 feet, we managed, after a deal of pulling and twisting 

 and turning, to get our prize on terra firma. Then 

 we took a good look at his tremendous size, and the 

 sight of such a mountain of moose-flesh nearly robbed 

 us of our breath. 



Examination showed us that we were not the only 

 sports that had followed his big heels with murderous 

 intent, for there was a bullet hole in the left blade of 

 his antlers and two buckshot holes were in the right. 



His feet were a study. Six and a half inches from 

 toe to heel was the measurement of the largest moose- 

 feet I had hitherto seen, but this fellow's covered 

 eleven and three-quarters. They were chipped and 



