The Fulton County news. [volume] (McConnellsburg, Pa.) 1899-current, 1906-03-21

iue OiucF lOllOWeu. WlIu n lcfflnc |
and triumphant blast. and the battle
was resumed in the shallow water,
with sounds like the dying furry Of |
a whale. Ellis could resist it no long |
er. The idea of obtaining so unique
Il photograph was too much for him, |
and he sat up in tie canoe and pushed |
out.
The slight current of air toward him. |
and the noise of the fight covered his |
movements. The distance was about |
fifty yards, and the focus of his camera
was fixed for hundred feet.
The canoe tossed violently on the
waves created by the battle, and when
he had glided short distance, there
was tremendous splash, a noise of
fioundcring, and scream like that of
wounded horse. One of the bulls
had gone down.
Ellis gave two more strong paddle
strokes, shipped the paddle, and poised
his camera. The terrific threshing in
the water continued, and he sighted
for the spot as accurately as he could,
waited moment, and then with trem-
bling fingers pulled the trigger of the
flash-gun.
In his excitement he did not hear
the report. The gun was heavily loaded
with fiash-pow1er for outdoor work,
and in the momentary, vivid white
glare he saw the dark forest, the dark
water, and giant black animal stand
ing with head turned suspiciously TO-
ward him above something that was
hidden in a smother of spray.
Black darkness followed, and with
it came an appalling below from the
bull, and Ellis heard the sound of
plunge toward him. The brute had
sighted his new enemy in the flash,
and the killing fever was upon him.
Ellis caught up the paddle, spun the
canoe round, and shot away blindly
in the inky darkness. He could hear
the bull apparently about a dozen
yards behind, coming with great
| bounds through the water But in Il
few strokes the canoe collided violently
with something solid Ellis lost his
balance, pitched forward, and went
helpless overheard and under water.
AS his head bobbed up, he heard the
smash of til, moose putting a forefoot
through the canoe. He dived, trying
to swim under water and ran against
| the jagged surface of one Of the beav-
er-houses, which was, in fact, the OBJ
stacle upon which he had been
wrecked. The bull charged him with q
rush, and sharp hoof grazed his leg.
In the muddy bottom OF the pond he
blundered into what seemed sort of
trench. 1t led to the beaver lodge, and
as he brushed against the bristling sur.
face of knots and sticks, he felt an
opening near the bottom. 1t was the
hole that had been cut to enlarge the
entrance of the raided lodge, and with
choking desire TO take refuge any
where, he thrust himself inside.
His head burst through a light floor
ing foot above the water as he raised
it. 1t was pitch dark. Lifting hi,
hand, he felt the rough roof close
above him. rhe water came nearly
to his armpits as he squatted, and /
was very cold. The air was damp ant
surcharged with animal odors.
He could hear the moose splashin:
about outside, probably puzzled at it
victims disappearance. OCCASIONAL,
. there was sharp blow upon the roo
of the lodge, but 1t was thick ant
solid, built of mud and interwovei
J branches.
AS his fright passed OF little
Ellis felt about the interior of hi
refuge with much curiosity. The wall
t were rough and spllntery, and n grea
number of small sticks We're floating
. about. Above the light flooring tina
4 he had broken through appeared t
! have been the main llving-room of tn
family, for there was a quantity o
A dry grass arranged as IL for nest
y AS nearly as he could judge, the plac
G was about four feet in diameter.
t He felt sure that the moose did no
n know where Ae was, for the anima
o was wading about from one lodge {
S another. shifting loudly at each. Pres
g entity he might return TO finish his fol
o mer antagonist, Ellis thought an
hoped, Cor the water was bitterly col
e and he was rapidly growing numb.
n After time there was silence. Lii
y tcning breathlessly, he could not hea
q The slightest sound. He waited fC
" fully fifteen minutes ore. howeve
II to make sure. and then ventured
IS thrust out his head and shoulders.
ID was too dark to see anything, bl
Ell after listening again, lie proceeded
e. crawl through the opening.
He was half-out when somethir
al came rushing through the water. III
80 cunning animal had waited silent
s, for his reappearance. and blow, TO
D. tunately half-deadened by the waite
IN reached his arm. He squirmed ba'
IL into his shelter again quickly enout
Of to escape further injury. A hoof-strol
~ that made the whole lodge tremb
a camc crashing upon the roof a ra
st of blows followed that seemed as
they must knock the whole structu
lis to pieces. but the tough walls he
as nobly. Finally, at particularly hea
ed blo-.-, sharp hoof burst IA. follow
ed by the whole Gore leg.
tn I Ellis lodged, knocking his sad v
IL. lently against the sharp sticks in I
N wall. Directly over him the b