Show BOYS Jack was bewildered at this sudden outburst of confidence but he lay back and drank in every word" with eager interest What a life this man must have had! But to the boy the great wonder of it all was that in the midst of a blizzard miles from any human he should have met this wonderful Dacotah wbo could probably trace his lineage farther back than many a lord and who was evidently the dreamer his and poet of tribe And here he making with a slender pack of grub was his way on foot from the English river to the Arctic circle and speaking as a Small matter of course! wonder that Jack the blizzard forgot the darkness that was raging outside and In that was beginning to fall the magical discourse of this chance ac quaintance “What’ll you do up north?” he asked “Trap and fish s’pose There are frozen ' of up there £ I I r I it I half-breed -was it pull above him up his it HOMPSON in it settled i al- J n it -Thompson a a a comfortably back B C blanket and on his II stared anew into the embers I? “Where Oh was yes Well what followedis just a little mixed up naturally but story snow told the hearing It well enough seems that Jean the shot came to meet his Now see the almost human of that creature Seymour Not far from the two men was a small hill On its crest two big pines almost touching each were other The Giant Moose left rote when his work was done and ascended this hill Jean must have been climbing from the opposite direction at the same time “The moose burrowed underneath one of the big pines whose wide branches drooped almost to the ground How he did without the snow above is mystery the Ottawa swore that was only by -the in snow-weighted it wild a rage a perhaps I ’ half-breeds I I of s’ent every one cartridges into the other mass of branches When he had finished the head of the Giant Moose broke through fail with a sniff and he knew he had ed” “Don’t sec how he could” commented Jack skeptically “If the other tree was so close and he had a dozen bullets he should ’a stirred things up mighty lively Don’t seem possibleall his shots missed” “They did though” smiled the Sioux “Whether through cunning or because he was tired which is more likely the lain moose had in down the snow watching the other tree through the his com-raoe intelligence dislodging a it I a if half-breeds a if it I subject “This reminds me of a night spent last winter on the Leaf river far up in north Labrador” ‘1 he said slowly was exploring rather than trapping for it practically Eskimo land up there little with timber was all alone that trip and was sitting by my fire when suddenly heard step “Before could move strapping big brute of an Eskimo walked in on me sat and down He calmly seized a chunk of raw meat from my fire and tore up without word When he had finished and somewhat appeased his very evident hunger tried to talk with him “I tried every language knew on that chap and knew several When finished and gave up In despair judge of my amazement when he addressed me in very fair English! had never suspected that he could speak English of course “Well that fellow had visited New York several years before 'with Peary and then returned to the north? A before he had been out walrus fishing A storm had blown his kayak far south Those Eskimo will stand up under any kind of canoes blow know After two days of storm he you had been wrecked on an icefloe and Ills kayak destroyed or week he had drifted south floc with the living on what fish he could spear until he struck the line of shore ice Then he came on foot through ice and he snow until had seen fortunately for he was my fire I s a I suddenly I a it I I indicated four or five I of feet I snow out In the open barren “Another foot of srow by day" Thompson as he relumed to the fire and stretched out in comfort “Well' Seymour if it was month earlier I’d believe stay and run down that Giant Moose myself!” “Wish you would" urged Jack quick-' ly “He’s worth while hunting ali asserted right!” 1 £ a fortnight - The Sioux did not reply for a moment He lay gazing deeivinto the blaze and Jack forbore to interrupt his thoughts until he “You’ve of did so himself about heard course” Gilbault and a Da-reau in replied the boy surprise are they?” “They aren’t more” any came the grim thought you response “1 must have the in heard story connection with the moose Want it?" bet “You do!” cried Jack eagerly and the Indian smiled over his tea as he gazed into the fire “J only heard it the other day mj’self at ‘Winnipeg Three years ago I was on the Rupert river in Labrador My no!" “Why “Who J all a fine Bareau a from little about young who -that he half-breed together thorough search Whichever cams-upon his the animal or tracks to signal the other by firing his was gun if if possible not by smoke "Pete Gilbault was the first to actually find the Giant Moose He had com© upon no tracks there was not the of slightest sign living any creature near him and it may be that he relaxed his vigilance somewhat So when he saw a smoke rising half a mile knew that Jean and had corm across something he started for the place on the instant "Suddenly as he was going down the in a a distant starved all goes to never know in against up induce him to show Seymour that what you’re going to this country tried stay with me but in Next off he vain morning went a supply of meat in search of somewith of his own race and never heard of him again “That was queer all right” agreed Jack “You must have had a heap o’ funny things happen to you! AU tile same man like you could make good anywheres—" ‘Tt’s not question of making good” lhe Sioux caught his unspoken thought his black and eyes fired “It’s a question of being treated asup an equal that all No my people have no place the world its except on outskirts iad will Why sweep through this north country like the chief that run to Once people my owned all this I country half-breed had drifted He parts told these the Giant Moose and and another and much older Pete Gilbault had sworn to the beast-down Neither one run the in its had least belief supernatural qualities Jean and I hunted together that winter then we parted I heard no more of 1dm untli an Ottawa near Winnipeg told mo the story Here it is for you: "It and Pete seems that Jean got the winter he left me and decided that the time had come to- finish the Giant Moose They made great preparations for the hunt although they could get no one else to accompany IL is said them that Pete even had a cartridge fitted with a silver bullet in case the animal was supernatural after all They started out frotn Dac Seul and never returned the rest of the story pieced together later by Indians was hunters who followed their ana trail ‘"They got on the track of the beast somewhere in this locality They followed him fur a week out into the barrens and finally came to a thick wooded stretch There was no indication that the moose trail was at all fresh but they concluded that the beast was in somewhere these woods for they made a fine feeding-ground So they decided to separate and cover the woods over me said there ' but “It you I partner was named Jean - a it ' least a I -ride at a I I I fool-from dodgedside a Snow the “Even then with safety so and near moose before him Jean did not give He brave in spite of his was in he ishness Knife hand to side in the attempt to get past that animal and reach the trees Now observe the cunning of the moose once muie Knou'iritr that the might man ho deliberately uutiiro ma Phnrrrn lowed Jean to him T ien as pass tne mart was running for trees the man the Giant Moose charged up behind him— and was his all over Theyin found Jean lying on face knife hand and tne frozen snow told the story clearly” drew was silent and taleJack deep he breah Was this true wondered dimly or had he listened to come fiction of the woods intended to n£are im? But the somber face of ihompson answered iris silent question °nly tou plainly and the boy shivered slightly The other noted the movement wath quick smile “Make shaky Seymour?" he you feel asked quietly “Wouldn’t like to come across that animal so much now ?” “Yon can bet your boots would!” lie Al0t bacl“Didn’t you say yourself the two got caught cause they didn’t use their brains? Well don’t know as much about the woods but guess I’ve got heap more brains than that” “Good boy” smiled the Sioux “You nave the idea right enough Say that’s quite an idea of yours using skis! How onearth corae to think of it?” I didn't" Y°u grinned Jack “Jan did" And he related how the skis had been made and why Thompson examined the skis attentively and looked up with a nod “Pretty good work everything considered That's quite an idea too used to ski a bit myself and believe I’ll make a pair this winter It will he deal easier than snowshoeing” Not so sure though" replied Jack true enough if find the Giant you Moose With those nn VAiir out You to may have juinp mighty sudden— or you may not have time to jump like poor old Pete” At this idea Jack determined on the spot that he found the Giant ever Moose trail he would keep his eyes open wide Well open he knew that the and Indians were no cowards they feared animal as an this they did there one was plenty of reason behind Noting his sober face the Sioux diverted his thoughts from the the up “That’s exactly the point of the whole business” answered Thompson with “It nod was about thirty below just then That didn’t bother the moose in the least but meant good deal to few" Jean He could only move for feet around the tree trunk— later they found a hard beaten circle where he his had around and after run around ammunition gave out” “Gave in out!” cried Jack surprise “Why he only fired one shot!” “So far” corrected the other “But little a later on he conceived the idea of riddling the other tree with bullets So he dropped on one knee and probably XV CHAPTER Tracks “None” a bank to PAPER Jean could fire again the two enemies out of sight of each were other beneath the widespread boughs of each tree! “It must have been a queer situation Jean did for not dare leave his tree there was none other within a hundred yards The moose couldn’t his leave tree or Jean would pot him Once Jean tried to sneak off the opposite from his side of tree but the moose heard hitn and he didn’t dare repeat the experiment It probably never occurred to the animal to do so the same thing there they stayed only a few feet apart each completely hidden from the other” “Was it pretty cold?” asked Jack suddenly I are "I wanted came the reply to bring but he my brother with me was cienc in a store and refused to come A clerk— faugh!” The Sioux spat on the ground angrily “The descendclerk ant of chiefs a common for white traders! Better that he were dead Yes there is good hunting up there have is learned that under the circle there and that the red men there no whisky of their tell are worthy color But me of yourself Seymour common You are no lout and was surprised to meet you ‘I confess” “No niore’n meet you” was to of grinneu JacK Happily He told the reason for their coming and ofi the suphis poseu creacnery or rere jvck and companion When he finished Thompthought a moment son “Perhaps it was” he said slowly “Yesterday T heard a shot in the distance Seymour I’m in a hurry to get up north before the season is over hotvever and didn’t stop supposed that Indian or an Perhaps w’as your father I’ve been coming up west or southwest of ’here for I’m cutting across to reach James bay” it “Say! Mebbe father sure was enough!’ exclaimed Jack excitedly “When the mornin’ I’ll get back In tell Pierre ’bout it” “Tell Pierre!” repeated the other scornfully throwing stick on the fire he spoke as “Can’t you strike out for yourself once in a while? Do you think Radisson would ’have run back to ’tell Pierre’ like child soma running to its nurse?” “Sure he would!" Jock flushed hotly at the scornful words "He’s waitin’ there for me now prob’ly So’s Jan They’re partners o’ mine an’ have a right to know what’s up Anyhow I’m only tenderfoot” “Never mind” smiled Thompson “I spoke hastily and bitterly rusk Seymour ami your pardon Well let’s have some tea and see how the weather is” The little Tean-toi was getting well snowed in Jack had carefully now scraped the frosted snow from his skis for they were now more valuable than his to him and had leaned them against the boulder outside They were more than- halfi buried now which fore something moose’s hoofs?” Jack nodded in awed fascination “Then It need say no more was by the clothes that Pete's body was recognized when was found later driven deep under the drifted snow by that tremendous bulk his As for silver bullet it had gone wild” Thompson paused in order to build up the fire which Jack had forgotten The boy stared at him pale with the excitement and horror of the story A luuiiium auer me bioux resumed bis narrative 1 people your GIBLS1 AND small stream terrible leaped out only -of ’none there?” a from He had gun and fire all four bunched feet of the Giant Moose came down on him Perhaps know the cutting power of a you the ten-foot barely time wildly when being it of bed huge and the help moments of the devil he did It A few later Jean reached the top of the hill and searched the country for signs of Pete standing just between the two snow-laden pines A moment later leaped out from Ills uiani aioose me full hiding place the unsuspecting on hunter “But Jean was not caught as his friend had been As the brute reared he above mm fired pointblank and sprang aside A few drops of blood showed later where he had slightly wounded the moose “The hilltop was bare of drifted snow and the animal was not hindered in its movements Perhaps he had chosen the place for that very reason— who know-s? Jean did not dare face another charge from those terrible hoofs and he darted of under one the big pines Now came another sample of the intelligenceof that magnificent creature" “Magnificent!” broke in Jack his eyes alight “How dare you call him magnificent right after tellln’ how he ambushed Pete?” “Welt what of that?” Thompson met his look with peculiar a smile that bared his teeth “The two men were hunting him were they not? Any brute has a right to fight for his life and the more intelligently he goes about it the more magnificent he It required more courage in him to meet the ‘firesticks’ of the than it did in them to try to shoot him a hundred yards away! How about it?” “Come to think of it guess you’re not so fax off at that" Jack replied a little dubiously “You couldn’t blame him for fighting back s’pose Even then the odds were in favor of the men too” “Of course they were" answered “if Thompson they had used their brains But to continue Giant Moose seeing that Jean was inThe the shelter of the pine and he was in the open made instantly for the other tree B©indignantly thin-lipped becomes halfbreeds I although I branches him His weight and warmth settled deeply and Jean probably pretty idea that the brute fired with the feet on his So you see every bullet went over him And then Jean to was began “Why wood freeze” didn’t he Jack “Ha handy” light must a ’a’ fire?" lots had inquired of a a s “He did— too much altogether!” was the reply “Don’t you see the branches that shielded him were loaded with if he snow! built a fire the snow would simply melt down Then the fire would be put out or else the branches relieved of the weight would spring up again and offer an easy entrance to the ani mal” “I see" nodded Jack with a little shudder as he thought of the man’s terrible predicament Unfortunately for himself he did not take the lesson to heart He was to remember that later when he himself camped beneath a snow-laden tjee long Jean remained there” resumed “How Thompson "is not known Two or three times probably at night he uu break and catch the uivu a moose napping but each time he failed In desperation he made a little shelter for a fire and started The half one burned sticks showed how it had been the first melting of put out by snow above He had plenty of food but that would not warm him Of water he had none and knew better than to take to snow' instead “At any rate he was slowly freezing to death No doubt he determined to seek easier for an death he started boldly out from the tree His people found his tracks and close beside them of th those the Giant Moose Did animal know that his enemy had no ammunition? Strange as it seems it must have been so for the moose deliberately walked only a few feet from Jean until the nearest trees were only fifty yards distant Then the animal moved around and faced the hunter Incident 1 I half-castes am-these whisky-sodden and before me If are helpless I could become another’ Louis Riel and ret the whole north in a flame of rebellion make myself a leader and ruler and drive the whites—” he broke off abruptly and went to the door with onj startling Jack spring by the suddenness of liis movement But the other turned with a laugh and a complete of red men wished I change a sufficient the subject ‘ It let 11 hint manner which conveyed to Jack not to pursue all up right by “but I to help declared Thompson before then like I hunt but enougn get up Yhy d Pierre It will daybreak" must be off the you in be quite probably means a great deal to me to without losing a day daybreak!” cried Jack north before aren’t ” you goin’ to sleep?" Right now” laughed the other never sleep more than six hours and seldom that much Mor firn tjAMw rections for the river If don’t see you In the morning" Taking a long and a short twig ha in the snow at the door of the lean-to tne longer twig pointing toward the river With a hearty the two then up and Jack was instantly fast curled asleep for he was completely worn out by his work day IIe never saw ThomPson again When he awoke the dawn of day was stealing over gray the snow and sitting up Jack saw that the Are ON PAGE SEVEN) ! i I J "Goodnight!" hadCONTINUED |