driven the moose to such a flight. There was no
other hunter ranging within twenty miles of him. Therefore, it was
wolves. He had no weapon with him but his knife and his light axe,
because his rifle was apt to be a useless burden in winter, when he
had always traps or pelts to carry. And it was rash for one man,
without his gun, to rob a wolf-pack of its kill! But the trapper
wanted fresh moose-meat. Hastily and skilfully he began to cut
from the carcass the choicest portions of haunch and loin. He had no
more than fairly got to work when the far-off cry of the pack
sounded on his expectant ears. He laboured furiously as the voices
drew nearer. The interruption of the lynx he understood, in a
measure, by the noises that reached him; but when the pack came
hot on the trail again he knew it was time to get away. He must
retreat promptly, but not be seen retreating. Bearing with him such
cuts as he had been able to secure, he made off in the direction of
his cabin. But at a distance of about two hundred yards he stepped
into a thicket at the base of a huge hemlock, and turned to see
what the wolves would do when they found they had been forestalled. As
he turned, the wolves appeared, and swept down upon the body of the
moose. But within a couple of paces of it they stopped short, with a
snarl of suspicion, and drew back hastily. The tracks and the
scent of their arch-enemy, man, were all about the carcass. His
handiwork--his clean cutting--was evident upon it. Their first
impulse was toward caution. Suspecting a trap, they circled warily
about the body. Then, reassured, their rage blazed up. Their own
quarry had been killed before them, their own hunting insolently
crossed. However, it was man, the ever-insolent overlord, who had
done it. He had taken toll as he would, and withdrawn when he would.
They did not quite dare to follow and seek vengeance. So in a few
moments their wrath had simmered down; and they fell savagely upon the
yet warm feast.

The trapper watched them from his hiding-place, not wishing to risk
attracting their attention before they had quite gorged themselves. He
knew there would be plenty of good meat left, even then; and that
they would at length proceed to bury it for future use. Then he could
dig it up again, take what remained clean and unmauled, and leave the
rest to its lawful owners; and all without unnecessary trouble.

As he watched the banqueting pack, he was suddenly conscious of a
mo