e
whole story was told, Dorothy, to her surprise, found when thinking
least about herself she had suddenly become a heroine, even in the eyes
of Dick.

[Sidenote: A very unusual hunting episode, that nearly ended in a
tragedy.]

A Strange Moose Hunt

BY

HENRY WILLIAM DAWSON

Some years ago, while living in Canada, in a village situated on the
bank of a large river, I was a spectator of a moose hunt of a most novel
and exciting character.

That you may the better understand what I am going to relate I will
first introduce you to our village Nimrod.

As his real name is no concern of ours I will here give him his popular
nickname of "Ramrod," a name by which he was well known not only in our
village but for a considerable distance around. It was conferred upon
him, I suppose, because he walked so upright and stiff, and also perhaps
because he at one time had worn the Queen's uniform.

A queer old stick was Ramrod. He knew a little of most mechanical things
and was for ever tinkering at something or other, useful or otherwise as
the case might be. He could also "doctor" a sick cow or dog, and was
even known to have successfully set the broken leg of an old and
combative rooster.

His mechanical turn of mind was continually leading him to the
construction of the most wonderful arrangements of wood and iron ever
seen. In fact, his operations in this direction were only held in check
by one want, but that a great one, namely, the want of a sufficiency of
cash.

[Sidenote: A Mystery]

Now for the greater part of one spring Ramrod had shut himself up in his
woodshed, and there he was heard busy with hammer and saw all day long,
except when called forth by the tinkle of the little bell attached to
the door of his shop, where almost anything might have been purchased.

Many were the guesses as to "what can Ramrod be up to now?" And often
did we boys try to catch a glimpse of what was going on within that
mysterious shed; but in vain. Ramrod seemed to be always on the alert,
and the instant an intrusive boy's head appeared above the first dusty
pane of the small window by which the shed was lighted, it was greeted
with a fierce and harsh gar-r-ar-r-r, often accompanied with a dash of
cold water, which the old fellow always seemed to have in readiness.

But one day as a lot of youngsters were down on the river bank preparing
for an early swim they were startled by the advent of another lad, who,
with sca