58 FOUR-FOOTED AMERICANS 



" What is that terrible noise," cried Olive, starting, 

 and they all listened, somewhat startled, while Dodo 

 crept close between her father and uncle, saying, "It 

 must be a very wild sick cow that is hurt." 



" If we were in a swamp a couple of hundred miles 

 further north, instead of here in a hickory wood, I 

 should say it was either a cow Moose or else some one 

 imitating one," said Mr. Blake. 



" Why, it's Nez, of course," said Dr. Roy. " He used 

 to be one of the best Moose callers along the border. 

 He is ready for us to come up, and has taken that way 

 to call us, though we are not Aloose." 



" Let's go quick and see," said Dodo, recovering her 

 courage, and hurrying the party along. " What are 

 ^loose, and what do people call them for?" 



" ^loose are the largest of our Deer. The cry we 

 have just heard is the cow. Moose's call to her mate, 

 Men who hunt the Moose imitate this call, and the 

 bull (whicli is the name given male JNIoose and Elk) 

 comes hurrying up to meet, not his mate, but a bullet." 



"Do you call that fair hunting, dadd}'?" asked 

 Nat. 



" No, I do not ; unless the hunter is hungry and can- 

 not get food in any other way, it seems to me little bet- 

 ter than setting a trap. A sportsman should show his 

 skill in finding the Moose, not calling him by a trick." 



" Yes," said Xat, " I understand that. It's the same 

 as if when we play hide-and-seek I wanted Dodo, and 

 instead of hunting for her I cried or did something to 

 make her come out, and then cried ' I spy.'" 



" Look, father ! Look tliere ! " said Olive. " It's 

 like the old days in Canada." 



