Deep in the woods, the elk, his horns now 
hardened and freed from their casing of velvet, 
guarded his mate, or engaged in mortal com¬ 
bat with others of his kind. 
It was still summer on Patou; but there were 
signs a-plenty that that summer was aging to 
its end. The yellow-winged blackbirds had 
abandoned family life, and now flocked in un¬ 
told thousands amongst the reeds that lined 
the shore. The young ducks, shoveler, pintail, 
mallard and teal, were all full grown; and daily 
tested their wings in longer and longer flights, 
preparatory to the great migration which the 
passing of a very few weeks must bring. Geese, 
too, were beginning to come in from the North¬ 
land, where autumn had already arrived. 
Days were still hot on Patou, the thermom¬ 
eter at times climbing into the nineties, but the 
nights were cool; so that, although frost was 
still some weeks away, the tourists passing 
through the great forest slept under blankets 
and found them comfortable. 
Of most of these changes, O-Go saw but 
little, as he was seldom abroad in full day¬ 
light; but he, too, was all unknowingly mak¬ 
ing his preparation for the long, cold winter. 
The fur that lay beneath his coarse outer hair 
was becoming unbelievably thick and soft; 
while between his skin and the underlying 
muscles, there was forming a layer of fat, which 
102 
