New-York tribune., 1910-01-02
Down the wind

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on heap of fern and spruce twigs beside
the tent door. " Seems to have got the leaves
and the caribou mixed up bit, doesn't he
Adam? Must be one of Your nature fakerS eh? :"
We'll" said Uncle Adam the guide, after a
runinating pause, while wrath of thin smoke
from his pipe circed away +)ftly on the still
Baker. Drifting's jest about the word for the B
way I've a herd O caribou go a-sliding
down afore the wind, biting mouthfu here an 4
there they go; but jest indifferent as to
where they go that the little shove of the winds Z
all it takes to decide EN-
Uncle Adams slow voice stopped. The re-
pose of his large loose jonted frame of his long
immobile tranquil face, seemed to become a
part of the TepOse of the wilderness sunset.
Neville Baker made no reply, but waited
expectanty In the course of his many visits to
the many watered wilderness of the interior of
New Brunswick he had acquired something of
the woodsman 5 frugality of speech. He knew
that If Uncle Adam had any thing more to say at
the moment in regard to caribou, he would be
more likely to say it without prompting That
capacious and sagacious head of the old guide
was very treasure house of wOodcraft but
at the same time, not that could be drawn
upon at will
" But you mustn't away with the dee' con-
tinued Uncle Adam some five minutes later as if
there had been no break in his DISCOURSE that carl
bou always careless an easy going like that. When
they take notion into their heads, it's different
They go where they've mind to- and it takes some
thing extraordinary to stop EN-. You never know
where or when to find EN-. And when YOU do find
EN-, you never know when why they re going to
quit, nor where they'll bring up after they've got
started
1t seems to me- )" said Neville Baker thouphtfullv
knocking the ashes of his pipe and heStatinp as
TO whether or not he should fill it again-'it it seems
TO me | know less about caribou than do about anv
other of wild folk. I've been coming to these New
Brunswick woods a good many years, and l fatter
myself We picked up something; but | know pre-
Clous little more of caribou than when first came
except that they're bad to find and mighty good
TO eat"
slow, contemplative smile went over Uncle
only he
" And let me tell you, when YOU hear some chap be-
GIN to brag as If he knew all about caribou-wel
YOU jest smile. They're unexpected What | learn
about EN- one year, | most generally have to un-
learn the next
Well, said Baker, l know they grow a mighty
handsome set of horns in awhile. And that's
what | want you to help me get this trip, Adam.
haven a good caribou head in my lot
Il amt making no promises where caribou's con-
cerned, SAID the guide but with moose now il s
different sometimes. If you'll jest take the trouble
out across the lake to the point yonder III promise
You as purity picture of bull moose as We re ever
going to see anywheres off the cover of a gun cata
logue."
NEVILLE BAKER was sprawling on his blankets
lie turned on his elbow and looked. The lonely
lake, smooth mirror between its flat desolate
shores, spread pink, amber, and gold toward the
cloudleSS PINK and orange sky, where the sun had
Iust sunk below the horizon. All the wav I'M the
lake, on one side the shore an unbroken stretch
OF treeess barren On the other side the low dark
waters edge their tops like embatted spear points
against the colored sky. From this shore sDit of
sand Jutted straight out into the lake
on ltS extremity his magnificent bulk and lofty
head black against the pellucd orange glow stood
agiant bull moose motioness as modelled in bronze
thrrrct -. ~