Kookooskoos and the Wrong Rat. 65 



Somewhere above me I knew that a crew of lumber- 

 men were at work; so I headed up river to find their 

 camp, if possible, and avoid sleeping out in the snow 

 and bitter cold. It was long after dark, and the moon 

 was flooding forest and river with a wonderful light, 

 when I at last caught sight of the camp. The click 

 of my snowshoes brought a dozen big men to the 

 door. At that moment I felt rather than saw that 

 they seemed troubled and alarmed at seeing me alone ; 

 but I was too tired to notice, and no words save those 

 of welcome were spoken until I had eaten heartily. 

 Then, as I started out for another look at the wild 

 beauty of the place under the moonlight, a lumber- 

 man followed and touched me on the shoulder. 



" Best not go far from camp alone, sir. 'T is n't 

 above safe hereabouts," he said in a low voice. I 

 noticed that he glanced back over his shoulder as 

 he spoke. 



" But why ? " I objected. " There 's nothing in 

 these woods to be afraid of." 



" Come back to camp and I '11 tell you. It.'s warmer 

 there," he said. And I followed to hear a strange 

 story, how "Andy there" was sitting on a stump, 

 smoking his pipe in the twilight, when he was struck 

 and cut on the head from behind ; and when he sprang 

 up to look, there was nothing there, nor any track save 



