branch, then some light thuds along the 

 ground, and to the left of us out of the 

 dark forest, a dainty creature flitted 

 along the trail and playfully splashed 

 into the water. Six others of her sis- 

 ters followed her, with two little ones, 

 and they were all splashing about in 

 the water like so many sportive mer- 

 maids when their lordly master ap- 

 peared a fine bull elk who seemed to 

 me, as he sedately approached the edge 

 of the lake, to be nothing but horns. 



I shall never forget the picture of this 

 family at home the quiet lake encir- 

 cled by forest and towered over by 

 mountains; the gentle graceful crea- 

 tures full of life playing about in the 

 water, now drinking, now splashing it 

 in cooling showers upon one another; 

 the solicitude of a mother that her 

 young one should come to no harm; 



