I50 THE AMERICAN MOOSE 



object — it was not there before! All the senses, 

 especially sight and hearing, are now centered in 

 that shadow beyond the thicket. A few steps 

 to one side would solve the question. But in the 

 silence of the woods the rustling of a few leaves 

 disturbed by the feet, or the crunching of frozen 

 snow, would convey a message down the hill, just 

 as the breaking sticks and rustling leaves have 

 brought up the hill a message that some animal 

 is abroad. The nervous tension is great, but 

 impatience is repressed by the recollection of hours 

 vainly spent in quest of game. 



The distance is hardly a hundred yards. 



Again the shadow moves. Will it perhaps move 

 away, to be seen no more? If one stood up he 

 could possibly see the outline of the dark object. 

 Nerves have their limitations, and patience too, 

 so the hunter carefully pulls back the hammer of 

 his rifle, at the same time pressing the trigger so 

 that the mysterious dark object shall not hear the 

 click of the sear. The hammer at full-cock, and 

 the trigger released to hold it ready for a shot, the 

 hunter rises. Above the dark shadow in the 

 thicket the broad antler of a moose is plainly 

 visible ! It moves up and down as its owner nibbles 

 browse from the striped maple. . . . 



At the end of a sudden outburst of noise and 



