Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1917-06-11
CmArrER NI-lContlnusdl

ny THE time Langdcu and Bruce had
ID reached the summit Of the BiEhorn
Highway, and were listening to the distant
tonguinE Of the dogs, little Muskwa was
in abiect despair. Following Thor had been
liko a game Of tag with never a moments
rest.
An hour after they left the sheep trail
thoy came to tho rise in the valley where
the waters separated. From this point one
creek flowed southwark into the racla Lake
country and the other northward into tho
Rabiue, which was tributary OF the
Skecna They descended very quickly TO
much lower country. and for the first time
NIuskwa encountered marshland, ana
Travelled at times through grass so rank
and thick that he could not see but could
only hear Thor fOrgGE on ahead oil h'Ili
The stream grew wider and deeper anu
I'm rlarcs they skirtcd the edges OF uaIN'
otiiet pools that Ntuskwa thought must nave
been Of immcasurabe depth These pools
gave NIus<wa his FIRST breathing spells.
%ow and then Thor would stop ana snlIt
oycr the edge Of them. He was hunuhg 10,
something and yet he never seemed 10 huu
n. and each time that he started on hlitH'
Nusl,wa was so much nearer the end oil MS
endurance. ~
,rno,. were fully seven miles north of the
- fro,, which Bruce and Langdon were
r,,rrirr the valley through their glasses
,,ho, they came to n lake. II was a darK
ond unfriendlv looking lake to Muskwa'
,rbo had never seen anything put sunni
nools in the dips. Tho forest grew c. closs
down TO its shore. In places II was alnloSl @
bl,cI, Queer birds squawked In the thlcN
reeds II was heavy with a strange QUO.
= sragronce of something that MADE the
cuh lick his little chops, and filled hlm WIN
! hunger. ,.,m.,,
ror , minute or two Thor stood smiling
This scent that filled the air IL was 'Ho
smell Of fish.
SLOWLY the big grizzly began picking ms
| ,vav along the edge Of the lake lie sool'
came ia the mouth Of small creek IL was
| ,,at ,,ore than twenty feet wide, but II was
Jarl. and ouict and deep, like the lake itsell,
-. n hundred yards Thor made his way
| ~ mis- creek. until he came to where Il
| rir,hcr of trees had fallen across H. iorlh'
| Inc, a lam. Close to this Jam the wafer
Us covered with a green scum. Ihor
| l,ra,v what lay under that scum ana very
| quietly he cTept out on the logs
! Midway IN the stream he paused, and with
| bje right paw gently brushed back the scum
1 so that an open pooI ol ''e"'
| directly under him,
! ,,,,,t,,,,,,e bright little eyes watched him
| -, tho ebore He knew that Thor was
artor something 10 eat, but how ne was
| ING to get it out of that pool OF water
| To,,1gIed and interested him in spite OF MS
Thor stretched himself out on his belly
| his head and right paw well over the jam
TIo noyPput his paw a foot into the water
"a - Told n there very quietly He could
90 60 oIcarIv TO the bottom Of the stream
| -. so,,, moments he saw only this bottom
| ~ sticIks and the protruding end OF 9
| iJr1b Then a long, slim shadow nlo'So
sIo,yIv under him--a iifteen-inch trout
was 900 deep for him. ana 1hoF uiu "o
! Il ,,11t
make an excited plunge ,,,.,, .oor tbi.
! ,ta,,oa yyas rewarded. A beautiful red
gnotted trout foated out from under th'
-, and so suddenly that Muskwa gave
-,,oIn Of terror Thor's huge paw sent
.,bnypar Of water n dozen feet into the an
| ynd the Ash landed with thuihp Wltnll
| -, feet Of the cub. Instantly Muskwt
! was upon il. His sharp teeth aug 'n'o - ."
II topped and struggled
Thor rose on the logs but when he saw
.,at NIusI,wa had taken possession OF th'
es,, he resumed his former position MusKw'
-, iust finishing his first real XIII when Z
,,ond snout of water shot upward anI
onotber trout pirouetted shoreward throusl
the air. This time Thor roioWed quickly
for he was hungry -. A.. ..s .h,
~, arternoon beside the shaded creek
rive times Thor knocked hsh out IRON
rnder the scum, but for the llfe or mn
N5nslr,ya could not eat more than MS mrs
| trout. A.. .h.,, dtnnar tba,
"a, in a cool, hidden spot close TO the loI
| jam. -. ,,..r soundIv He wa
hoginnIng 10 understand that lie was nov
| ,ascaIy a matter of personal responsibility
Win him, and his ears had begun 10 atluh
,SsSr,ssIyes 10 sound. Whenever Thor move'
or heayed a deep sigh, Muskwa knew Il
VIt,,ar mai davis Marathon with the grizzl,
he was filled with uneasiness-a fear tina
he might lose his big friend and tood-kllleI
had adopted should have no opportunity o
siinping away from him unheard and un
seen. hut Thor had no Intention or desert
,ne his little comrade. in fact. he was be
coming quite fond efSsr ~. lfwa.