206 THE SPORTSMAN'S PARADISE; 



wishes on this subject, but his manner indicated plainly the 

 thoughts which were uppermost, even the desires of his 

 heart. Both George and myself set about the performance 

 of the task that had been assigned to us. This labor was 

 agreeable, better far than standing still in the wild storm 

 and allowing ourselves to be buried beneath the falling 

 snow. 



One hour of brisk activity found us prepared for the 

 evening meal and awaiting the captain's return. The 

 twilight of the evening had gathered around us, when we 

 heard the captain's rifle discharged twice, the second shot 

 following the first so quickly that George had been unable 

 to complete the exclamation, "He is after them again," 

 before he was interrupted by the second sound. The 

 question now raised by George was, " What has the cap- 

 tain killed ?" It was thought probable that the firing had 

 been occasioned by the discovery of a moose, since these 

 animals were certainly more numerous on this ground than 

 the red deer ; but it was not by any means certain that the 

 captain had killed one of the kings of the forest. 



It was nearly half an hour after these shots were heard 

 when the captain returned to our camp-fire. His face was 

 livid with rage and he stormed like a sailor, but no words 

 of profanity passed his lips. Neither George nor myself 

 ventured to attempt any sort of conversation with him, and 

 he rattled on wildly, " I will never hunt moose again ! If 

 these guns were my property I would break them over the 

 nearest tree and start for home to-morrow morning !" On, 

 still on, he went! After the storm had raged in all its 

 fury for half an hour he cooled off slightly, and then nar- 



