7 o WITH GUN AND GUIDE 



ter, that we should find but a little distance below the 

 outlet of the lake, which we were then struggling to 

 reach. 



It was now an ascent up a sharp and stiff knob of the 

 mountain, and following a spotted trail, which led right 

 away from the brook. When the summit of this eleva- 

 tion was attained we swung to the left a little, and then 

 the path led down-hill until alders again were seen, 

 and surely we were now about to reach water again, be- 

 cause one does not find alders unless he is near to water. 



Henry went ahead and stepped very gingerly, parting 

 the alders as silently as possible, so that we could wrig- 

 gle through without either breaking them or allowing 

 them to slap back. What a protecting shield this ple- 

 beian growth of alders is to all animals of the deer 

 tribe. The moose always seems to prefer to be sur- 

 rounded by them to anything else in the wilderness. 



These bushes at such a time and after such a journey 

 as we had been making were tantalizingly difficult to 

 get through without breaking the stillness which always 

 pertains to the sanctuary of the moose. However, my 

 labored breathing was certainly making more sound- 

 waves than our feet. When Henry gently parted the 

 last of the bushes which formed the fringe screening 

 the water from our view, without any excitement or 

 emotion whatever, after taking a glance out into the 

 open, he motioned me with one hand to come up to 

 him, while he held the bushes back with the other. 



