176 Moose -Hunting. 



fooled you, and that the young bull shot by Lola was the one that 

 you saw and fired at ? " 



" Sartin I don't get 'fused 't all, that not same one. I tell you why; 

 you see, I don't make no 'stake, cause I see that big moose layin' 

 down jus' plain I see you now; 'sides I see horns, bigges' horns I ever 

 see all my life." 



" I guess Sebatis pretty tired that time, fall 'sleep, then dreamin', 

 you see, don't see no moose 't all," said Swarsin. 



" Don't mind what that Swarsin say, he don't know nothin', no 

 more 'n woodchuck ; what I tell you all true, every word." 



"Well," said I, "Sebatis, if the big moose we hunted to-day is, 

 as you suppose, the same one that you have just been telling about, 

 and we are lucky in calling to-night, and manage to bag him, 1 

 suppose your mind will be at rest ? " 



" Sartin, you can't put 'im that moose in bag, too big ; but 'spose 

 we kill 'im, then I know 'taint devil 't all, only mighty cunnin' ole 

 bull-moose, that's all." 



"Sebatis pretty good hand tell story," said Swarsin. " S'pose 

 he tell all 'bout bear-hunt, when he get his arm 'most tore off." 



"Sartin that's true, get my arm 'most tore off sure enough," 

 said Sebatis, as he rolled up his coat-sleeve, and exhibited several 

 frightful scars on his left arm. 



" How did that happen, Sebatis?" I inquired. 



"Well, you see, happen good many years ago, used to be old 

 times, Injins campin' out all winter, hunt, trap, everythin'. One 

 winter two or three camps on McDougal Lake, so you see I start 

 one mornin' look at my traps. Well, I jus' walkin' 'long, don't have 

 no gun, no knife, not'in' but small little kind of hatchet, that's all ; 

 by-em-by I see pretty big old she-bear walkin' on snow, comin' right 

 up to me ; I little scared first, you see don' have no gun, no knife, 

 not'in' but that small little kind of hatchet, so I think pretty poor 

 chance kill bear. Well, not much time thinkin', for old bear come 

 walkin' 'long pretty quick, when he got 'most up where I stan'in' then 

 get right up on his hin' legs jus' like man an' look at me, then I don't 

 move 't all, jus' look at bear, that's all ; by-em-by that bear get down 

 again an' go 'way walkin' very slow, then you see, I think best try 

 kill 'im, so I chase 'm ; then you see that bear stop again an' jus' 

 gettin' up on his hin' legs, when I strike 'm all my might right on his 



