34 
THE BED MOUNT Am OF ALASKA. 
upon a singular scene. About a hundred yards away, the 
trail was blocked by a huge, dark form. It stood about 
four feet high, and was covered with long, shaggy fur of 
a dirty brown color. Robert recognized the animal at 
once, although it was back to him. It was the Brown 
Bear, Ursus Arctos, of the cold countries. It was with a 
feeling half chagrin and half relief that the boy knew 
in a moment it was no grizzly before him. That it was, 
on the other hand, his very ugliest and most formidable 
relative south of the Arctic Circle was equally certain. 
But what was the occasion of the bear's quiet attitude ? 
A glance along the path explained matters. Directly 
facing the bear stood an old bull moose, his spreading 
antlers touching the boughs on each side of the path. 
The big fellow was not standing at his full height. His 
head was slightly lowered, and his eyes fixed intently on 
those of his near neighbor. Neither of the animals paid 
the slightest attention to the new-comer. 
There seemed to be no good reason why there should 
be a quarrel. There was plenty of room, with a little 
squeezing, for a bear and a moose, even if both, as was 
the case, were larger than the average, to pass each other 
comfortably. But neither of them thought of yielding an 
inch ; they glared silently at each other, like two team- 
sters who have unexpectedly met in a narrow alley. 
Neither one would back out, that was settled. 
The moose raised one of his great hoofs, and struck it 
upon the ground several times, making moss and mud fly, 
