84 WITH GUN AND GUIDE 



The head is under the water and when it is raised 

 note the splash of the water as the antlers cast it off the 

 blades, like throwing it up with a shovel, and you 

 know it's a bull. He's got your wind and he's off. 

 Good-bye, old fellow. I'll look for you another time. 



But now we're coming to a dead-water. That piece 

 of dead-water yonder which twists and turns to all 

 points of the compass may even now be entertaining a 

 bull moose with a dinner of lily-pads, a dinner always 

 to his liking. 



But the return trip is a walk without ambition and 

 unspurred by curiosity, and therefore the distance al- 

 ways seems to be greater than on the ingoing trip. 

 The portage over the high ridge, the crossing of Birch 

 Lake in the pirogue, were now but commonplace pro- 

 ceedings, exciting no comment whatever. Henry 

 made a couple of " calls " at Birch Lake, more from 

 custom perhaps than from the expectancy of getting 

 any answers. 



But partridges were plentiful, and he soon had three 

 of these fine birds hung to his pack, each killed with a 

 single bullet. 



The day was hot and sultry, and each of us had more 

 or less of a load, and in consequence our exertions 

 brought out plenty of perspiration. The return journey 

 discovered to us no game, no new tracks, and at noon 

 time the distance was covered, and we were back again 

 in the camp, whence I had started but a few days be- 



