52 
Northern Trails. Book I 
up the game that came to her, instead of chasing it 
wildly all over the snow-field. The example was not 
lost; for imitation is strong among intelligent animals, 
and most of what they learn is due simply to following 
the mother. Soon the cubs were still, one lying here 
under shadow of a bush, another there by a gray rock 
that lifted its head out of the snow. As a dark streak 
moved nervously by one of these hiding-places there 
would be a rush, a snap, th z pchappchap of jaws crunch¬ 
ing a delicious morsel; then all quiet again, with only 
gray, innocent-looking shadows resting softly on the 
snow. So they moved gradually along the edges of the 
great white field; and next morning the tracks were 
all there, plain as daylight, telling their silent story of 
good hunting. 
To vary their diet the mother now took them down 
to the shore to hunt among the rocks for ducks’ eggs. 
They were there by the hundreds, scattered along the 
lonely bays just above high-water line, where the eiders 
had their nests. 
At first old mother wolf showed them where to look, 
and when she had found a clutch of eggs would divide 
them fairly, keeping the hungry cubs in order at a little 
distance and bringing each one his share, which he ate 
without interference. Then when they understood the 
thing they scattered nimbly to hunt for themselves, and 
the real fun began. 
