The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1907-06-02


and uses the Same watch towers night after
night. He had Ssen my head In the thicket
and struck at the 6tpt movement.
P~erostving HE mistake, be kept straight
on over my bead; 90 Of course there was
nothing in sight when I turned. Assn owls
flight 10 perfectly nolseless-the feathers
being wonderfully soft, 90 that the wings
never whirr nor rustic. like those Of other
birds-I had heard nothing, though he
passed close enough to strike, andI was lis
tening intentlyN Another mystery OF the
woods made plain by a little Watching.
Years aftstward the queer experience
stood me In good stoad in clearing up an
other mystery. 1t Was in q lumber camp
always q superstitious plaoe-in the heart
OF a Canada forest.
/ had followed a wandering herd Of Carl
bou too far one day. and late In the after
noon found myself alone at q river some
twenty miles from my camp. Somewhere
| above me ] knew that O crew Of lumbermen
we're at work; 90 / headed up river on
| the loo TO find their camp, II possible, and
avoid sleeping Of in the % ard bitter
cold.
1t was long after dark, and the moon was
flooding forest and river with a wonder
full light when l at last caught sight OF the
shanty. The click OF my snoWshoes
brought a dozen big men TO the door.
At that moment ! felt rather than saw
that they seemed troubled at seeing me
alone; but l was too tired TO notice, and no
words save those OF welcome were spoken
until l had eaten heartily. Then, as l
started out for another look at the Wild
beauty Of the place under the moonlight,
a lumberman followed and touched me
on the shoulder,
BEST not go far from camp alone, sr,
'Tim't safe h~ereabouts,' he said In a low
voice.
1 noticed that he glanced back over his
shoulder as he spoke.
sBut why?'I objected. There's nothing
in these woods to be afraid Of
Come back to camp and I'll tell you,
It's warmer there he said.
And l followed to hear ii strange story
how Andy there wss sitting on a stump
smoking his pipe in the twilight, when he
was struck on the head from behind, and
when he sprang up to look there was nothing
there nor any track save his " in the
snow. The next night Gillie's fur cap
had been snatcked from his head. and
when he turned there was nobody in sight.
When he burst into camp with all his
Wits frightened out OF hin he could scarcely
speak and his face was deathly white.
Other uncanny things had happened since
in the same way and coupled with a bad
accident. which the men thought was an
omen, they had put the camp into such a
state OF superstitiows fear that no one VEN
tuned out OF doors after nighttal.
I thought Of Kookooskoos and my "
head, but said nothing. These big, strong
men brought up in the woods would only
resented such q foolish suggestion
from a ~tenderfoot.
Next day l found my caribou and returned
to the same lumber camp before sunset
At twilight there was Kookooekoos, an
fellow, looking like the end OF a
big spruce stub, keeping sharp watch over
the little clearing.
Fortunately he was behind the camp.
where he could not see the door. ! called
the men and set them %crouching in the
snow under the low caves.
stay quiet there a minute and Ill show
you the ghost That was all ] told them.
Taking the skin OF a hare which had
shot that day, I hoisted 1t cautiously on a
stick, the lumbermen watching me curl
ously. A slight scratch Of the stick. a
Of the fur along the splits. then a
swept silently over our heads. 1t
struck the stick sharply and passed on into
the spruoes across the clearing, taking
Bunny's akin with 1t.
Then one big lumberman. who saw the
point, jumped up with a yell and danced
a liz In the snow. like a schoolboy. There
was 10 need Of further demonstration with
the cap; and nobody volunteered his head
FOR a final experiment; but all remembered
seeing the owl on his nightly watch and
knew something OF his swooping habits.
OF course some we're incredulous at first
and had a dozen questions and objections
when We we're In camp.
They did not like to have a good ghost
story spoiled, and besides where supersd-
ton is there the marvellous is most easily
II is only the simple truth hal is
SO / spent half the night in con-
yiEcing them hat they had been brought
up in the woods to be scared by an owl.
Poor Kookooskoos! They shot him next
night on his watch tower n nailed him 70
he camp door as q warning.