190 Ways of Wood Folk. 



up the hill in a desperate scramble, with loose stones 

 rattling, and the bottoms of his feet showing con- 

 stantly through the volley of dirt and chips flung out 

 behind him. 



That killed the fierce imagination bear of childhood 

 days deader than any bullet could have done, and 

 convinced me that Mooween is at heart a timid crea- 

 ture. Still, this was a young bear, as was also one 

 other upon whom I tried the same experiment, with 

 the same result. Had he been older and bigger, it 

 might have been different. In that case I have found 

 that a good rule is to go your own way unobtru- 

 sively, leaving Mooween to his devices. All animals, 

 whether wild or domestic, respect a man who neither 

 fears nor disturbs them. 



Mooween's eyes are his weak point. They are 

 close together, and seem to focus on the ground a few 

 feet in front of his nose. At twenty yards to leeward 

 he can never tell you from a stump or a caribou, 

 should you chance to be standing still. 



If fortunate enough to find the ridge where he 

 sleeps away the long summer days, one is almost sure 

 to get a glimpse of him by watching on the lake 

 below. It is necessary only to sit perfectly still in 

 your canoe among the water-grasses near shore. 

 When near a lake, a bear will almost invariably come 

 down about noontime to sniff carefully all about, and 



