ee, huge-limbed and dense, came down
across the other runway. Two more followed, and the herd was cut off
from its retreat. The giant bull, of course, with his vast stride and
colossal strength, could have smashed his way through and over the
barrier; but the others, to regain the safe mazes of the "yard," would
have had to make a detour through the engulfing snow.

Though the King was now fairly cornered, Uncle Adam was puzzled to
know what to do next. In his hesitation, he felled some more trees,
dropping the last one so close that the herd was obliged to crowd back
to avoid being struck by the falling top. This, at last, was too much
for the King, who had never before known what it was to be crowded.
While his followers plunged away in terror, burying themselves
helplessly before they had gone a dozen yards, he bawled with fury and
charged upon his tormentors.

[Illustration: "For perhaps thirty or forty yards the bull was able to
keep up this almost incredible pace."]

Though the snow, as we have seen, came up to his chest, the giant's
strength and swiftness were such that the woodsmen were taken by
surprise, and Uncle Adam, who was in front, was almost caught. In
spite of his bulk, he turned and sprang away with the agility of a
wildcat; but if his snowshoes had turned and hindered him for one half
second, he would have been struck down and trodden to a jelly in the
smother of snow. Seeing the imminence of his peril, the other woodsmen
threw up their rifles; but Uncle Adam, though extremely busy for the
moment, saw them out of the corner of his eye as he ran, and angrily
ordered them not to shoot. He knew what he was about, and felt quite
sure of himself, though the enemy was snorting at his very heels.

For perhaps thirty or forty yards the bull was able to keep up this
almost incredible pace. Then the inexorable pull of the snow began to
tell, even upon such thews as his, and his pace slackened. But his
rage showed no sign of cooling. So, being very accommodating, Uncle
Adam slackened his own pace correspondingly, that his pursuer might
not be discouraged. And the chase went on. But it went slower, and
slower, and slower, till at last it stopped with Uncle Adam still just
about six feet in the lead, and the great moose still blind-mad, but
too exhausted to go one foot farther. Then Uncle Adam chuckled softly
and called for the ropes. There was kicking, of course, and furious
lunging and wild snorting, but the