The boys raised their rifles and took accurate aim. Their hearts thumped wildly, and their breath came hard and fast. Much to their disgust, however, Ben motioned for them to lower the weapons. He pointed mysteriously in the direction from whence he expected the second bull. The one they had so eagerly covered was not as large a specimen as the guide had expected to see. He was prudently holding the impatient lads in check, in the hope that the second moose would prove to be a finer animal.
Then there was a savage grunt, and with lowered head the expected arrival charged into the open and drove straight at its enemy. The latter, although surprised by the suddenness of the attack, instantly wheeled and braced himself to withstand the charge.
There was a terrific crash as the two sets of antlers met. Then began a battle the like of which none of the spellbound onlookers would probably ever see again. Head against head, the two big brutes pushed and shoved each other about the marsh. Great pieces of mossy turf were torn loose and flung high in air by their sharp hoofs; bushes were broken and trampled down as the combatants struggled through them; and the noise of hoarse breathing, as the bulls strained and labored against each other, could be distinctly heard.
The last arrival was the larger and heavier animal of the two. In spite of this, its younger and smaller adversary was giving a splendid account of himself. Twice he sent his larger antagonist to its knees by the force of his rushes, and he speedily won the sympathy of his unseen audience by his courage. Several times, when he had gained a temporary advantage, the boys were on the point of cheering. In their struggle the infuriated animals approached close to the hiding-place of the hunters, and the latter could see the fierce eyes blazing with the light of battle.
Finally the strength of the heavier animal began to assert itself, and the younger moose, gashed and gored, began to give way. Slowly it retreated before the furious onslaughts of its aggressive antagonist. Then, finding itself unable to stop them, it turned in panic and fled with its conqueror in triumphant pursuit.
As the bulls galloped across the marsh Ben called to the boys to shoot. Nothing could have tempted them to fire at the smaller animal, which had so completely won their hearts by its gallant conduct. They had no such consideration for its rival, however, and they quickly brought their rifles up and fired at his retreating form.
When the shots rang out the rear moose fell to its knees, but was up in an instant and into the woods.
“Well, you hit him,” said Ben, as he rose to his feet. “Why didn’t you each pick one of them?”
“We couldn’t kill the smaller one after seeing the fight he made,” declared Ed. “At least, that was the way I felt about it.”
“Same here,” George seconded.