178 Moose -Hunting. 



ways off I fin' sign old bear gone off somewhere's again, so I follow 

 pretty quick, an' by-em-by see old bear walkin' on snow, an' I go up 

 pretty close, an' jus' when he rise up again on hind legs I fire, kill 

 'im dead first shot, then my arm feel 'most well again, then I go get 

 cubs ; well, you see, when I fin' den again cubs all gone, on'y some 

 little bits fur an' blood, that's all." 



"What killed the cubs?" I inquired. 



"Well, you see, nobody don't kill 'em 't all, po-kumpk been there 

 eat 'em all up." 



" Who on earth is po-kumpk ? " 



"Po-kumpk? that's black cat, you know; some people call 'em 

 fishers." 



" That's a very good story, Sebatis," I remarked, by way of 

 compliment. 



" No, that's not good story 't all, that's true. My arm don't get 

 well again most six months." 



The moon was now visible, and I asked Sebatis when he would 

 try to call the moose. 



" Pretty soon," he replied. " I go somewhere now try find birch 

 bark make moose-call; you an' Swarsin take guns, an' go down on 

 barren handy on lake, by-em-by I come." 



Obeying the directions of Sebatis, Swarsin and I tramped down 

 to the edge of the barren and took up a position in the dense shadow 

 of some tall ferns. There was not a breath of air stirring, and the 

 moon was partially obscured by watery-looking clouds that threatened 

 ere long to treat us to a wetting. As we sat waiting for Sebatis, the 

 silence was oppressive ; presently, the monotony was relieved by 

 the occasional hooting of an owl, that after a time became almost 

 continuous. 



"That owl keeps up an awful row," I said to Swarsin. 



"That aint owl 't all, that Sebatis; may be he wants us come 

 somewhere." 



" Wont we make too much noise, groping our way in the dark ? " 



" Hist! that's cow-moose," he said, as a wailing cry floated through 

 the air. 



I shrewdly suspected the cow-moose to be none other than our 

 friend Sebatis, with his trumpet of birch bark, and in a few moments 

 was convinced of the fact, for from far away in the distance came the 

 answering call of a bull-moose. 



