ow and see if he comes."

Again he sent the call echoing through the woods. The watchers strained
ears and eyes, but nothing happened.

A third time he blew on the birchbark trumpet. Then they heard a
cracking and crashing among the branches nearby and suddenly a huge
creature came trotting up a small path that led into the woods and
emerged into the clearing. So sudden was his appearance that it took
their breath away and they sat perfectly motionless, marveling at the
wide spread of his antlers, his humpy, grotesque nose, and the little
bell-like pouch that hung down from his neck. A moment he stood there,
wearing a look of inquiry, his big nostrils quivering, and then he
became aware of the presence of human beings, and turning in affright he
fled up the path by which he had come. But in the moment he had stood
there they had been able to get a good look at him.

As soon as he was gone they all sprang to their feet and began excitedly
comparing notes on what they had seen.

"Did you ever see such big antlers?" said Sahwah. "So flat and wide. I
always thought antlers were like the branches of a tree."

"And the funny hump on his nose," said Hinpoha.

"But did you ever see anything so funny as that thing hanging down from
his neck?" said Katherine. "It looked just like a bell."

"Let's follow him," said Sahwah enthusiastically, "and see if we can
catch a glimpse of him again."

For a while they could follow the footprints of the big creature in the
soft mud along the river bank; then the tracks ceased abruptly. The
moose had turned and dashed into the deep woods.

"Now which way did he go?" asked Sahwah.

"You are asking more than I can tell," answered Uncle Teddy.

"Shall we go any further?" asked Hinpoha doubtfully. "These woods don't
look very easy to walk through."

"Oh, yes, let's go on," begged Sahwah.

"We might get lost and not find our way back," said Hinpoha.

"We'll remember this big cedar tree," said Uncle Teddy. "It's the only
one around here and it's right near the river."

Fixing the location of the big cedar tree in their minds they struck
into the woods in the direction they thought the moose had taken.

"It's queer we don't hear him," said Sahwah. "You'd think an animal as
large as that would make a great noise running through the woods. Just
listen to the racket Slim is making over there."

"That's where the moose has a secret no man can find out," said Uncle
Teddy. "Big and awkwa