328 BIG GAME FIELDS 



free of the icy water and vanished in the direction 

 of the cow. The big bull required another shot 

 and then all his battles were at an end. His ant- 

 lers were massive and heavy, all the points long 

 nineteen in number, with a 60-inch spread. 



It was late that night when we got back to 

 tents, tired, cold and wolfishly hungry, but 

 light-hearted withal. The next few days failed 

 to disclose any very fresh grizzly signs. We 

 found his great human-like prints high up in the 

 mountains, and where he had "laid up" under a 

 shelving rock ; but we could not seem to have the 

 luck to happen upon a track fresh enough to 

 warrant our following up the ponderous maker. 

 The days were growing short and there was that 

 in the air which seemed to warn all things to pre- 

 pare to depart before the iron hand of winter 

 closed down over the land. 



Something must be done if I was to keep the 

 pledge I had made to myself, not to return 

 without a grizzly. I had heard of a distant range 

 where the lordly Osborn's caribou roamed and 

 the grizzly prowled undaunted over his realm with 

 a grim joy of lordship, and its wandering, watch- 

 ful inhabitants, his slaves almost all. 



"Let's try for caribou," I suggested one even- 

 ing. Mac looked serious for a few moments, then 



