But to return to the caribou we were trailing, and also to make a long
hunt short--for you now know most of the interesting points in the
sport--I must tell you that we spent a full day and a night before we
came up with them. And that night, too, a heavy fall of snow added to
our trouble, but it made the forest more beautiful than ever. It was
after sunrise when we picked up fresh tracks. A heavy rime was
falling, but though it screened all distant things, we espied five
caribou that were still lingering on a lake, over which the main band
had passed. They were east of us and were heading for the north side
of a long, narrow island. As soon as they passed behind it, Oo-koo-hoo
hurried across the intervening space, and ran along the southern shore
to head them off. The eastern end of the island dwindled into a long
point and it was there that The Owl hoped to get a shot. Sure enough
he did, for he arrived there ahead of the deer. Though he had lost
sight of them, he knew they were nearing him, for he could hear the
crunching sound of their hoofs in the frosty snow, and later he could
even hear that strange clicking sound caused by the muscular action of
the hoofs in walking--a sound peculiar to caribou.

[Illustration: Oo-koo-hoo could even hear the strange clicking sound,
caused by the muscular action of the hoofs in walking--a sound peculiar
to caribou. He cautiously went down on one knee and there waited with
his gun cocked and in position. Now antlered heads appeared beyond the
openings between the snow-mantled trees. The hunter, taking aim,
addressed them: "My brothers, I need your . . ." Then the violent
report of his gun shattered the . . . See Chapter VI.]

Oo-koo-hoo cautiously went down on one knee and there waited with his
gun cocked and in position. The air was scarcely moving. Now antlered