CHAPTER XIII
A DEAD WATER TRAGEDY
But Pierre, also, had heard that distant "Ugh-u-u-ugh!" and instantlypaused. His own anxiety was lest Adrian should not hear and be still.Fortunately, the wind was in their favor and the sensitive nostrils ofthe moose less apt to scent them. Having listened a moment, he droppedhis pack so softly that, heavy as it was, it scarcely made theundergrowth crack. His gun was always loaded and now making it readyfor prompt use, he started back toward his companion. The Indian inhis nature came to the fore. His step was alert, precise, and light asthat of any four-footed forester. When within sight of the other lad,listening and motionless, his eye brightened.
"If he keeps that way, maybe---- Ah!"
The moose called again, but further off. This was a disappointment,but they were on good ground for hunting and another chance wouldcome. Meanwhile they would better make all haste to the thoroughfare.There would be the better place, and out in the canoe they'd have awider range.
"Here, you. Give me the boat. Did you hear it?"
"Did I not? But you had the gun!"
"Wouldn't have made any difference if you'd had it. Too far off. Let'sget on."
Adrian lifted the pack and dropped it in disgust. "I can't carry thatload!"
Pierre was also disgusted--by the other's ignorance and lack ofendurance.
"What you don't know about the woods beats all. Haven't you seenanybody pack things before? I'll show you. When there's big game handyis no time to quarrel. If a pack's too heavy, halve it. Watch andlearn something."
Pierre could be both swift and dexterous if he chose, and he rapidlyunrolled and divided the contents of the cotton tent. Putting partinto the blanket he retied the rest in the sheeting, and now neitherbundle was a very severe tax.
"Whew! What's the sense of that? It's the same weight. How doeshalving it help?"
Pierre swung the canoe upon his head and directed:
"Catch hold them straps. Carry one a few rods. Drop it. Come backafter the other. Carry that a ways beyond the first. Drop it. Getnumber one. All time lap over, beyond, over, beyond. So."
With a stick he illustrated on the ground, and wasting no further timenor speech, clasped his gun the tighter under his arm and trottedforward again.
Adrian obeyed instructions, and though it seemed, at first, a waste togo back and forth along the carry as he had been directed, found that,in the end, he had accomplished his task with small fatigue or delay.
"Another bit of woodcraft for my knowledge box. Useful elsewhere, too.Wish I could get through this country as fast as Pierre does. Buthe'll have to wait for me, anyway."
For a time Adrian could easily trace the route of his guide by thebruises the canoe had given the leaves and undergrowth but afterawhile the forest grew more open and this trail was lost. Then hestopped to consider. He had no intention of losing himself again.
"We are aiming for the south. Good. All the big branches of thesehemlocks point that way--so yonder's my road. Queer, too, how mossythe tree trunks are on the north sides. I've heard that you could dropan Indian anywhere in any forest and he'd travel to either point ofthe compass he desired with nothing to guide him but his instinct.Wish I were an Indian! Wish, rather, I had my own compass and goodoutfit that went over in my canoe. Hurrah! There's a glimmer ofwater. That's the thoroughfare. Now a dash for it!"
Adrian was proud of his new skill in finding his own way through atrackless forest, but though he duly reached the stream he could notfor a time see anything of Pierre. He did not wish to shout, lest themoose might be near and take fright, but at last he did give a fainthalloo and an answer came at once. Then the boat shot out from behinda clump of alders and made down the river toward him.
The current was swift and strong and there was considerable polingto be done before it touched the shore and Pierre stepped out.
"I've been looking round. This is as good a place to camp to-night aswe'll find. Leave the things here, and might as well get ready now.Then we can stay out all day and come back when we like."
"But I thought we were to go on up the thoroughfare. Why stop here atall? Other camping places are easy to find."
"Are they? My, you can ask questions. Good many things go to makingright sort of camp. Dry ground, good water to drink, fire-wood,poles---- Oh! shucks! If you don't know, keep still and learn."
This was excellent advice and Adrian was tired. He decided to trustto the other lad's common sense and larger experience, and havingso decided, calmly stretched himself out upon the level bank of thestream and went to sleep.
Pierre's temper rose still higher and after he had endured the sightof Adrian's indolence as long as possible he stepped to the river anddipped a bucket of water. Then he returned and quietly dashed it overthe drowsy lad. The effect was all that Pierre desired.
"What did you do that for?"
"Take this axe and get to work. I've chopped long enough. It's my turnto rest. Or would be, only I'm after moose."
Adrian realized that he had given cause for offense and laughedgood-naturedly. His nap had rested him much more than his broken sleepof the night under the rocks, and the word "moose" had an inspirationall its own.
"I've cut the fire-wood. You get poles for the tent. I'll get thingsready for supper."
Adrian laid his hand dramatically upon his stomach. "I've an innerconviction already that dinner precedes supper."
"Cut, can't you?"
"Cut, it is."
In a few moments he had chopped down a few slender poles, andselecting two with forked branches he planted these upright on alittle rise of the driest ground. Across the notches he laid a thirdpole, and over this he stretched their strip of sheeting. When thiswas pegged down at a convenient angle at the back and also secured atthe ends, they had a very comfortable shelter from the dew andpossible rain. The affair was open on one side and before this Pierrehad heaped the wood for the fire when they should return after theday's hunt. Together they cut and spread the spruce and hemlock boughsfor their bed, arranging them in overlapping rows, with an addedquantity for pillows. Wrapped in their blankets, for even at midsummerthese were not amiss, they hoped to sleep luxuriously.
They stored their food in as safe a spot as possible, though Pierresaid that nothing would molest it, unless it might be a hungryhedgehog, but Adrian preferred to take no risks. Then with knivesfreshly sharpened on the rocks, and the gun in hand, they cautiouslystepped into the canoe and pushed off.
"One should not jump into a birch. Easiest thing in the world to splitthe bottom," its owner had explained.
Adrian had no desire to do anything that would hinder their success,therefore submitted to his guide's dictation with a meekness thatwould have amused Margot.
She would not have been amused by their undertaking nor its buthalf-anticipated results. After a long and difficult warping-up therapids, in which Adrian's skill at using the sharp-pointed pole thathelped to keep the canoe off the rocks surprised Ricord, they reacheda dead water, with low, rush-dotted banks.
"Get her into that cove yonder, and keep still. I've brought some barkand'll make a horn."
There, while they rested and listened, Pierre deftly rolled his stripof birch-bark into a horn of two feet in length, small at the mouthend but several inches wide at the other. He tied it with cedar thongsand putting it to his lips, uttered a call so like a cow-moose thatAdrian wondered more and more.
"Hmm. I thought I was pretty smart, myself; but I'll step down whenyou take the stand."
"'Sh-h-h! Don't move. Don't speak. Don't breathe, if you can help it."
Adrian became rigid, all his faculties merged in that one desire tolose no sound.
Again Pierre gave the moose-call, and--hark! what was that? Ananswering cry, a far-away crashing of boughs, the onrush of some bigcreature, hastening to its mate.
Noiselessly Pierre brought his gun into position, sighting one distantpoint from which he thought his prey would come. Adrian's body drippedwith a cold sweat,
his hands trembled, specks floated before hisstaring eyes, every nerve was tense, and, as Margot would have said,he was a-thrill "with murder," from head to foot! Oh! if the gun werehis, and the shot!
Another call, another cry, and a magnificent head came into view. Withhorns erect and quivering nostrils the monarch of that wildernesscame, seeking love, and faced his enemies.
"He's within range--shoot!" whispered Adrian.
"Only anger him that way. 'Sh! When he turns----"
"Bang! bang--bang!" in swift succession.
The great horns tossed, the noble head came round again, then bent,wavered and disappeared. The tragedy was over.
"I got him! I got him that time! Always shoot that way, never----"
Pierre picked up his paddle and sent the canoe forward at a leap. Whenthere came no responding movement from his companion he looked backover his shoulder. Adrian's face had gone white and the eagerness ofhis eyes had given place to unspeakable regret.
"What's the matter? Sick?"
"Yes. Why, it was murder! Margot was right."
"Oh! shucks!"
Whereupon Pierre pulled the faster toward the body of his victim.