Megaleep the Wanderer. 17 



swampy tract of ground, covered with grass and low 

 brush, spread out on either side the stream. From 

 the canoe I made out two or three waving lines of 

 bushes where some animals were making their way 

 through the swamp towards a strip of big timber 

 which formed a kind of island in the middle. 



Pushing my canoe into the grass, I made for a 

 point just astern of the nearest quivering line of 

 bushes. A glance at a bit of soft ground showed 

 me the trail of a mother caribou with her calf. I 

 followed cautiously, the wind being ahead in my 

 favor. They were not hurrying, and I took good 

 pains not to alarm them. 



When I reached the timber and crept like a snake 

 through the underbrush, there were the caribou, five 

 or six mother animals, and nearly twice as many little 

 ones, well grown, which had evidently just come in 

 from all directions. They were gathered in a natural 

 opening, fairly clear of bushes, with a fallen tree or 

 two, which served a good purpose later. The sun- 

 light fell across it in great golden bars, making light 

 and shadow to play in ; all around was the great 

 marsh, giving protection from enemies ; dense under- 

 brush screened them from prying eyes — and this 

 was their schoolroom. 



The little ones were pushed out into the middle, 



