Two miles further on he almost forgot about the moose. Through a screen of willows, skirting a small creek, he caught the faint movement of some living thing—something that stood concealed and which watched him furtively as he made his way along through the dead and matted grass of the little valley.
Dick felt instinctively that some danger threatened. What this was he had no way of finding out, yet the feeling persisted that he was being watched, spied upon by an enemy more terrible than any wild denizen of the forest. As he advanced swiftly on his way, he was conscious of a strange tingling of nerves, as if he half expected at any moment to be pounced upon and overcome by an unknown assailant.
“I’ve never felt so queer about anything in my life,” he confided to the silent trees, as he hurried quickly along. “I’m sure that I saw something move there in the bushes, and I’m positive that it wasn’t an animal that walks on four legs.”
Just then, an object lying on the ground, immediately ahead, drove every other thought from his mind. With a glad cry he sprang forward, and, a short time later, stood looking down at the prostrate body of the bull moose, majestic even in death.
A lump arose in Dick’s throat as he stood there silently regarding it. “Poor old fellow,” he breathed, “it was a shame to do this. But perhaps you saved us from starving. Maybe——”
A shout close at hand roused Dick from his musings. Wheeling about his eyes lighted with pride and happiness, as he espied the approaching figures of Sandy and Toma.
“Good for you!” Sandy exclaimed, as he strode up to where his chum was standing. “I just knew you’d do it. Say, I believe it’s the biggest moose I ever saw.”
“You ketch um big fella,” complimented Toma. “It is good.”
Together the three young adventurers stood admiring the moose. So interested had they become that not one of them caught the sound of stealthy footsteps until a heavy, threatening form, followed by three others, pushed its way within the circle of admiring eyes.
With a cry of warning, Dick sprang back, clutching his rifle tightly. Then he looked at the man.