Trail and Camp-Fire 



in the timber, still was such that a man would 

 be practically helpless in it without snow- 

 shoes. They sank so deep that as they 

 ploughed ahead the movement of their legs 

 could hardly be seen, but was more than sug- 

 gested by the flying lumps and clouds of snow 

 that rose about them. Their thick-set bodies 

 loomed large and dark against the dazzling 

 surface beyond them, and contrasted sharply 

 with their long hoary manes. I sighted on 

 the leader and fired, and as I saw him stagger 

 perceptibly I heard another shot. George 

 had come up and was beside me, opening fire 

 on the second. I kept on at the first one, 

 shooting as long as he moved ; but at the 

 third shot he pitched forward and lay in the 

 snow. Then as I turned my head I saw 

 George's beast sinking, and we both fired 

 almost together at the third, now a good 

 long shot, but after another volley down he 

 went, too. Luck, pure and simple, after all ; 

 but then we had expended considerable skill 

 during the past week with little to show for 

 it, and this we considered our fairly earned 

 reward. Then we made the tour of our 

 quarry three bulls. No coup de grdce was 

 needed ; they were stone-dead. They lay 



146 



