position at a designated rock,
both well-armed, while out near the lake one of the clever Indians,
armed with one of these oddly constructed birch-bark horns, should be
placed. The reason of this was the expectation that, if the old moose
heard the call, while perhaps too wary to come within range of the man
sounding it, he might be near enough for a good shot from Mr Ross and
Alec. In the same manner Frank was stationed with Mustagan, and Sam
with Big Tom, while two other Indians, acting the part of trumpeters to
them, were stationed in the rear near the water's edge.

For a couple of hours very eerie and weird seemed everything to these
excited boys. No moon was in the heavens, but the stars shone down upon
them with a splendour and a beauty unknown in a land of fogs and mists.
No conversation was allowed, as the hearing of the moose is most acute.
For a time the silence was almost oppressive.

After watching at their different stations for about half an hour or so,
there wailed out on the silent air a cry so wild, so startling, so
blood-curdling that it filled with terror and dismay the hearts of our
three boys, who had never heard anything like it. Strung up as they
were to such tension by their surroundings out there in the gloom of
that quiet night, and then to be thus startled by such a cry, no wonder
each lad clutched his gun and instinctively crowded close to his
experienced companion in that trying hour. Yet such was their
confidence in them that they remained silent, but were soon relieved
when they were told, in a whisper, that it was only the cry of the lynx,
and, blood-curdling though it was, it was really a good sign for them.
When this harsh, doleful sound had died away in the distance, from a
tree near them some great owls began their strange hootings, and the
Indians again said, "Good signs."

About midnight the first note of the sound for which they were listening
was heard. It was far away in the forest directly east from them, with
the wind coming from the same direction. The Indians remained perfectly
still until the roaring became somewhat louder, and then the boys were
somewhat startled at hearing, but in a much softer key, a sound very
similar in their rear. This latter sound was made by the men through
these queer birch-bark horns they had been so industriously working at
during the day. From long practice some of these Indians can so
perfectly imitate the sounds of the female moose