NORTHERN GAME TRAILS 283 



Over by the wood pile lay several huskies in 

 restless slumber ; every now and again they would 

 raise their heads and peer at me through the pal- 

 lid light, uttering a low growl, while their eyes 

 shone like fox-fire. The night winds whispered 

 soft and low, sighed, then dwindled until they 

 were no more. Again the great silence reigned 

 over all. Then from far up the river the loon's 

 low note came like a soul's lost cry through the 

 stillness of the night. 



How long I sat there drinking in the wild scene 

 in wonderment and solitude I do not know, for 

 presently a strange thing occurred. Out of the 

 blue throbbing night there ebbed a faint sound 

 that came ululating over the distant hills like 

 a voice of the wind, then lost itself as 

 softly as it had commenced. Three or 

 four huskies trotted swiftly by as sound- 

 less as a darting shadow. Down by the lone- 

 ly shore I saw several of them flitting about 

 like witches in the moonlight, now sitting on their 

 tails in a solemn circle, now listening intently in 

 the vast silence, as if they scented or perhaps 

 just felt the presence of some unknown force 

 that was hidden from human sense. Something 

 seemed to be wrong in the wild to-night. A long 

 interval of profound silence passed. Then sud- 



