e idea of making the attempt.

As he stood behind the last tree he had reached, he saw that it
branched, and the lowest branches grew but a little above his head. He
could easily climb it, and at once resolved to do so. He would there be
safe for the time, and could at least rest himself, for he was now weak
with fatigue. He, therefore, stretched up his hands, and, laying hold
of a branch, swung himself up into the tree. Then climbing up a little
higher, he sat down on one of the forks.

The moose appeared as furious as ever; and ran round the tree, now
striking it with his horns, and then rearing upon his hind-legs, and
pouncing against the trunk with his hoofs. At times his snout was so
close to Basil, that the latter could almost touch it; and he had even
drawn his hunting-knife, and reached down with the intent of giving the
creature a stab.

This last action led to a train of thought, and Basil seemed suddenly to
adopt some new resolution. Leaving the fork where he had perched
himself, he climbed higher up the tree; and, selecting one of the
longest and straightest branches, commenced cutting it off close to the
trunk. This was soon effected; and then, drawing it along his knee, he
trimmed off all the twigs and tops until the branch became a straight
pole, like a spear-handle. Along one end of this he laid the handle of
his knife; and with thongs, which he had already cut out of the strap of
his bullet-pouch, he spliced the knife and pole together. This gave him
a formidable weapon--for the knife was a "bowie," and had a long blade,
with a point like a rapier. He was not slow in using it. Descending
again to the lowermost limbs, he commenced making demonstrations, in
order to bring the moose within reach. This he very soon succeeded in
doing; and the animal ran forward and reared up against the tree.
Before it could get upon its four legs again, Basil had thrust it in the
neck, giving full force to the blow. The blood rushed forth in a thick
stream, as the jugular vein had been cut by the keen blade; and the huge
brute was seen to totter in its steps, and then fall with a dull heavy
sound to the earth. In a few moments the hunter had the satisfaction of
perceiving that it was quite dead.

Basil now dropped out of the tree, and walking back to where his rifle
lay, took up the piece and carefully reloaded it. He then returned to
the moose, and opening the great jaws of the animal, gagged them with a