red looks and awful voice, declared that Ramrod was "making his
own coffin," and that he, the boy, had seen it with his own eyes.

The rumour spread, and many were the visits paid that afternoon to the
little shop by the river.

But Ramrod kept his secret well, and baffled curiosity had to return as
wise as it came. Ramrod was determined that his work should not be
criticised until completed. He had evidently heard the saying that
"women, children, and fools should not be allowed to see a thing until
finished."

At last one day the great work _was_ completed, and turned out to be,
not a coffin, but what the happy builder called a boat. But to call it a
boat was a misnomer, for the thing was to be propelled not by oars but
by a paddle.

And certainly through all the ages since the construction of the ark of
Noah was never such a boat as this. It would be impossible to convey in
words a true idea of what the craft was like. Perhaps to take an
ordinary boat, give it a square stern, a flat bottom without a keel, and
straight sides tapering to a point at the bow, would give an approximate
idea of what the thing actually was, and also how difficult to navigate.

The winter had been unusually uneventful. Nothing had happened to break
the cold monotony of our village life, so that when one day an excited
and panting individual rushed up the river bank screaming out "A moose,
a moose in the river!" it was only natural that we should all be thrown
into a state of ferment.

Some who possessed firearms rushed off to get them out, while others ran
along the bank seeking a boat.

As, however, the ice having only just "run," the boats and punts
ordinarily fringing the river were still all up in the various barns and
sheds where they had been stowed at the close of navigation, their
efforts were in vain, and they could only stand fuming and casting
longing eyes at the now retreating moose.

For of course the animal had turned as soon as he perceived the hubbub
which his appearance under such unusual circumstances had created.
Instead, therefore, of crossing the river, it now made for an island
which was about half a mile out in the stream.

It had a good distance to swim, however, before it could accomplish
that, and in the meantime preparations were being made a short way up
the river which promised serious trouble for Mr. Moose.

Of course, you may be sure that Ramrod had caught the excitement with
the rest of us, and was