hear him stepping out bravely
and rapping his horns against the trees, and plunging into any water
that came in his way. When he got pretty near, he'd stop to listen, and
then the caller had to be very careful and put his trumpet down close to
the ground, so as to make a lower sound. If the moose felt doubtful he'd
turn; if not, he'd come on, and unlucky for him if he did, for he got a
warm reception, either from the rifles in our hands as we lay hid near
the caller, or from some of the party stationed at a distance.

"In stalking, we crept on them the way a cat creeps on a mouse. In the
daytime a moose is usually lying down. We'd find their tracks and places
where they'd been nipping off the ends of branches and twigs, and follow
them up. They easily take the scent of men, and we'd have to keep well
to the leeward. Sometimes we'd come upon them lying down, but, if in
walking along, we'd broken a twig, or made the slightest noise, they'd
think it was one of their mortal enemies, a bear creeping on them, and
they'd be up and away. Their sense of hearing is very keen, but they're
not so quick to see. A fox is like that, too. His eyes aren't equal to
his nose.

"Stalking is the most merciful way to kill moose. Then they haven't the
fright and suffering of the chase."

"I don't see why they need to be killed at all," said Mrs. Wood. "If
I knew that forest back of the mountains was full of wild creatures,
I think I'd be glad of it, and not want to hunt them, that is, if they
were harmless and beautiful creatures like the deer."

"You're a woman," said Mr. Wood, "and women are more merciful than men.
Men want to kill and slay. They're like the Englishman, who said 'What a
fine day it is; let's go out and kill something.'"

"Please tell us some more about the dogs that helped you catch the
moose, uncle," said Miss Laura. I was sitting up very straight beside
her listening to every word Mr. Wood said, and she was fondling my head.

"Well, Laura, when we camped out on the snow and slept on spruce boughs
while we were after the moose, the dogs used to be a great comfort to
us. They slept at our feet and kept us warm. Poor brutes, they mostly
had a rough time of it. They enjoyed the running and chasing as much as
we did, but when it came to broken ribs and sore heads, it was another
matter. Then the porcupines bothered them. Our dogs would never learn to
let them alone. If they were going through the woods where there were n