THE GIANT MOOSE 253 



homes. Our stove was set up and Fritz started a fire, 

 leaving the oven full of the things which we usually 

 packed in it. In a few moments there was a mild 

 explosion and a dense cloud of smoke filled the cabin. 

 Quickly ripping the oven out of the stove Alex sorted out 

 of the debris a burned dish rag, some knives and spoons 

 which were fortunately not damaged, and two cans of 

 evaporated milk which had exploded. The tins had 

 burst open at the top only and the milk, plenty warm 

 enough for the coldest weather, was uninjured. 



Now we were only five miles from Cooper Creek 

 Landing and the river was not so bad. Two hard 

 rapids still lay before us, but the path on the bank was 

 clear and most of the water offered comparatively few 

 obstructions. Tom Towle was on his way to the landing 

 and we got him to tell Bunce, the skipper of the ''Bat," 

 to wait for us until we arrived, so we could make a close 

 connection and not have to lose several days for him, 

 as we thought we might have to. 



Five boats passed us on their way down the river on 

 this last day of our slow return, most of them with men 

 who were going out to trap during the winter. One, 

 however, was William Hesse, who had sworn to get some 

 moving pictures of live moose if he had to stay in all 

 winter. Other boats contained two EngHsh sportsmen, 

 Cadbury and Vereker. More EngHshmen than Americans 

 hunted in the Kenai this season. 



In the month that we had been away in the interior a 

 large log cabin had been built at the landing as a road- 

 house for strangers. We were enjoying a big meal here 

 when Lovering turned up, completely soaked through 

 after a ten-mile march up the river. He had left his 

 boat and men below to come up and be sure that a launch 



