the pack to his shoulders,
wound its straps around his body and started off through the forest at
a sort of dog-trot pace, pausing neither for swamp nor fallen tree;
and Adrian realized that if he were to keep his companion in sight he
must travel equally fast.

Alas! this was impossible. The birch which had seemed so light and
romantic a "carry" became suddenly the heaviest and most difficult. He
caught its ends on tree trunks and righting these blunders he stumbled
over the rough way. The thongs that had seemed so smooth cut his
forehead and burned into his chest, and putting pride in his pocket,
he shouted:

"Pierre! Pierre Ricord! Come back or you'll get no money!"

It would have been a convincing argument had it been heard, but it
was not. Pierre had already gone too far in advance. Yet at that
moment a sound was borne on the breeze toward Adrian which effectually
banished all thought of fatigue or of ill-treatment. A long-drawn,
unmistakable cry that once heard no man with the hunter instinct ever
forgets.

"A moose! And Pierre has the gun!"

CHAPTER XIII

A DEAD WATER TRAGEDY

But Pierre, also, had heard that distant "Ugh-u-u-ugh!" and instantly
paused. His own anxiety was lest Adrian should not hear and be still.
Fortunately, the wind was in their favor and the sensitive nostrils of
the moose less apt to scent them. Having listened a moment, he dropped
his pack so softly that, heavy as it was, it scarcely made the
undergrowth crack. His gun was always loaded and now making it ready
for prompt use, he started back toward his companion. The Indian in
his nature came to the fore. His step was alert, precise, and light as
that of any four-footed forester. When within sight of the other lad,
listening and motionless, his eye brightened.

"If he keeps that way, maybe---- Ah!"

The moose called again, but further off. This was a disappointment,
but they were on good ground for hunting and another chance would
come. Meanwhile they would better make all haste to the thoroughfare.
There would be the better place, and out in the canoe they'd have a
wider range.

"Here, you. Give me the boat. Did you hear it?"

"Did I not? But you had the gun!"

"Wouldn't have made any difference if you'd had it. Too far off. Let's
get on."

Adrian lifted the pack and dropped it in disgust. "I can't carry that
load!"

Pierre was also disgusted--by the other's ignorance and lack of
endurance.

"What you don't