60 A GOOD SPLASHING. 



the air. The swaying to and fro of the thickly-leaved 

 branches prevented Pierre from getting a sure aim; 

 but just as the monarch of the band reached the 

 farther bank he pressed the trigger. 



With a tremendous bound the animal acknowledged 

 the shot, but there the hunter's success seemed to end. 

 A thick fringe of bushes concealed the moose from view, 

 and through this Pierre could hear them crashing as 

 they rushed from the scene of danger. 



To cross the deep canal-like brook and follow the 

 game was now the difficulty. After a short search, 

 however, the hunter came to a place where a projection 

 of the bank narrowed the stream considerably. Making 

 a desperate leap from this vantage-ground, Pierre nearly 

 landed on the opposite side. Luckily the water was 

 not here more than three feet in depth, so the hunter 

 escaped with a good splashing. 



Climbing up the bank he soon gained the open 

 plain beyond the willows, and at its farther verge he 

 saw two moose making for the woods in a long swing- 

 ing trot, while the third animal, that at which he had 

 fired, lagged far behind, and sometimes came to a halt 

 altogether. 



With a cry of delight the youth ran forward, and 

 soon gained considerably on the moose, who, finding 

 escape hopeless, came to a standstill and faced round 

 suddenly, licking his lips viciously, while his eye 

 seemed to flash with fiery anger. Pierre could now 

 see that his bullet had entered the animal's side too 



