276 Tire Aroostook Woops. 


stepped out, drew up the canoe a trifle, and crept about a bit, 
hoping he might wait a moment before taking to the woods, 
but returned without seeing the game. 
We had hardly spoken since the first splash, but now the 
captain says: 
“*T told you 
1? 
} Py 
‘¢Yes, you were right enough. 
He spoke of hearing something, and that it must have 
awakened him in the morning, sounding as if in the water, 
and would bet it was a moose. On our return home, passing 
this camping place, we saw the tracks of the moose where he 
entered and left the water, crossing just above our tent. 
Now and again the river broadens out, the waters more 
shoal, and we are often out to stretch a bit and lighten up the 
birch, pushing it along over the sand bars. Quantities of fish 
of different kinds we see in the clear waters. Large ones lying 
upon the bottom could be taken by spearing if one wished, 
but the plump six and eight ounce trout, taken near the brook 
at our campings, are really the best. 
Often the large ones swimming quickly out of the way drop 
back to deeper water and lay quiet, heading up the stream ; 
the captain looking at them longingly and as if about to throw 
the artificial, hesitates but a moment, knowing we shall not 
miss them, and again lifts us forward. 
The muskrat, but little timid here, starts out from the 
bushes to swim across just ahead of the canoe, and seeing us 
so close upon him, his head goes quickly under, his hind legs 
kick once in the air, and he is plainly seen swimming beneath 
in the clear water, making back for the shore again. The 
pretty little water turtle we occasionally pick up as we are 
passing, to examine again their pretty mottled shell, when 
