88 ON THE EDGE OF THE WILDERNESS 
fields near houses, at night, but no harm befell 
them. Still, they were ever cautious, and kept 
deep out of sight except on the rare occasions 
when the man scent had not reached them in time. 
Crossing everywhere so many man tracks, how- 
ever, gradually broke down a good deal of their 
instinctive shyness. Bill came to know the coun- 
try for many miles around, and more than once 
it was only the greater caution of the older bull 
which kept him from following the promptings 
of his native bump of curiosity and exposing him- 
self to plain view. 
That year Bill and his father were in a deep 
swamp, quietly browsing, when far, far off they 
heard the cow call, which, a year before, had 
startled Bill’s ears as his mother sounded it be- 
side the lake. Now it stirred him curiously. 
His muscles tightened, he raised his head and 
coughed loudly, he drew his forefeet from the 
mud, and started for the firmer land. But the 
old bull was ahead of him. As Bill came up to 
the open woods on the bank, intent on rushing 
toward the call, he saw the bull face round upon 
him, with lowered antlers. Bill was surprised 
