the bullets was heard
distinctly by all, so close were they to their game. The effect of the
firing on one of the bulls was seen to be immediate, for, although his
huge horns seemed almost locked in those of his antagonist, he slowly
sank to the ground. The other moose, although badly wounded, gave a
last vicious plunge at his opponent. Then proudly lifting up his head,
and seeing for the first time his new antagonists, and being still mad
with the excitement of battle, he, without any hesitancy, rushed to the
attack.

"Fire straight at the centre of his head," were Mustagan's words.
Hardly were they uttered ere from the guns of Mr Ross and Sam the
death-dealing bullets flew on their mission and the great, fierce animal
stumbled forward a few more yards and fell dead, pierced to the brain by
both of the balls. In a few minutes they were joined by Big Tom, who
quickly said:

"Moose cow shot, and little calves run into woods; catch um next day, if
wolves not too quick."

It was the report of his unerring shot that rang out so quickly after
Frank and Alec had fired.

The reaction after the complete silence and the long-strung-up tension,
together with the fierce battle witnessed and the decisive victory, was
very great. No need of silence now, but the boys were so excited they
hardly knew whether to laugh or cry. Frank said he wanted to howl.
Alec said he wanted to dance. Sam said he wanted to swing a shillalah.
And they all said, "What would not the boys at home give to be here?"

A fire was quickly kindled, and a couple of Indians remained as watchers
while the rest returned to the not very distant camp. The Indian in
charge had supper ready for them, which was much enjoyed, and then as
speedily as possible they were wrapped up in their blankets and doubly
wrapped in sweet, refreshing sleep. Very few were their hours of
slumber. Daylight comes early in the summer time in high latitudes, and
so when the boys heard the Indians moving about and preparing breakfast
they sprang up also, and after a hasty bath in the lake were ready for
their breakfast and eager to be off, not only to see where their bullets
had struck the moose bulls, but to find out how it was that while one
dropped so quickly the other was able to make that fierce charge upon
them.

When they reached the scene of last night's exciting adventures they
hardly recognised that locality, so different does a place look in
daylight from what it d