m the curious crowds about the gate to explore the
wild-looking thickets at the back of the pasture. But no sooner had he
fairly entered these thickets than he found his further progress barred
by the steel-meshed fence. This was a bitter disappointment, for he had
expected to go striding through miles of alder swamp and dark spruce
woods, fleeing the hated world of men and bondage, before setting
himself to get acquainted with his new followers. His high-strung temper
was badly jarred. He drew off, shaking his vast antlers, and went
shambling with spacious stride down along the barrier towards the brook.
The four cows, in single file, hurried after him anxiously, afraid he
might be snatched away from them.

Last Bull, standing solitary and morose on a little knoll in his
pasture, caught sight of the strange, dark figure of the running moose.
A spark leapt into his heavy eyes. He wheeled, pawed the sod, put his
muzzle to the ground, and bellowed a sonorous challenge. The moose
stopped short and stared about him, the stiff hair lifting angrily along
the ridge of his massive neck. Last Bull lowered his head and tore up
the sod with his horns.

This vehement action caught the eyes of the moose. At first he stared in
amazement, for he had never seen any creature that looked like Last
Bull. The two were only about fifty or sixty yards apart, across the
little valley of the bushy swamp. As he stared, his irritation speedily
overcame his amazement. The curious-looking creature over there on the
knoll was defying him, was challenging him. At this time of year his
blood was hot and quick for any challenge. He gave vent to a short,
harsh, explosive cry, more like a grumbling bleat than a bellow, and as
unlike the buffalo's challenge as could well be imagined. Then he fell
to thrashing the nearest bushes violently with his antlers. This, for
some reason unknown to the mere human chronicler, seemed to be taken by
Last Bull as a crowning insolence. His long, tasselled tail went stiffly
up into the air, and he charged wrathfully down the knoll. The moose,
with his heavy-muzzled head stuck straight out scornfully before him,
and his antlers laid flat along his back, strode down to the encounter
with a certain deadly deliberation. He was going to fight. There was no
doubt whatever on that score. But he had not quite made up his wary mind
as to how he would deal with this unknown and novel adversary.

They looked not so unequally matc