How Animals Talk 



map showed no body of water nearer than Big 

 Pine Pond, which I had fished that day, and which 

 should be three or four miles behind me. Turning 

 in the direction of the alarm, I soon broke out 

 of the cover upon a caribou bog, a mysterious 

 expanse never before suspected in that region, 

 and before me was the gleam of water in the sun- 

 shine. "A pond, a new one, and what a beauty!" 

 I thought with elation, as I caught its awakening 

 look and feasted my eyes on its glory of color. 

 Then I gave it an Indian name and hurried away; 

 for I was surely off my course, and the hour was 

 late for lingering in strange woods. Somewhere 

 to the west of me was the home lake ; so westward 

 I headed, making a return-compass of bent twigs, 

 till I set my feet in a branch of the old logging- 

 road. And that chance trail is the one I have 

 ever since followed. 



