234 CAMP-FIRES OF A NATURALIST. 



back towards camp. Dyche thought the animals 

 might be feeding in the willow thicket, but Brown 

 said it was hardly possible. His experience taught 

 him that they always fed away from the lakes and 

 rivers. Their beds and other signs were nearly al- 

 ways found far in the woods, which would tend to 

 carry out the theory. He felt quite sure that the 

 moose were miles away to the south by this time. 

 While giving due weight to Brown's theories, Dyche 

 could not get rid of the idea that the animals might 

 be feeding in the willows, and at last Brown said he 

 would crawl through while Dyche went around on 

 the edge to shoot if the animals rushed out. Brown 

 was cautioned not to shoot the old cow, for the season 

 was so far advanced that her hair would be in bad 

 condition and her meat was not needed. 



" Don't kill the cow, but if you get the two calves 

 I'll give you ten dollars extra," was the parting in- 

 junction. 



" They are dead calves if I see them," was Brown's 

 reply, as he crawled into the brush. 



Five minutes of silence ; then a shot rang out, 

 quickly followed by four others in rapid succession. 

 A bullet sang close to Dyche 's head and he dropped 

 to the ground to escape the next one. A whining, 

 bawling noise was heard and then Brown shouted. 

 Hastening to the spot, the naturalist found Brown 

 bending over a moose calf, not yet dead. A short 

 distance away lay another. 



"Brown, you've done well, but I ought to have 

 been in it and got one of them." 



" That's so. These are your moose." 



