"Yes, yes!" they all exclainned.

CHAPTER XXIII TRAPPING WILD ANIMALS

"WELL Mr. W00d began: "I was br0ught up, as y0u all kn0w, inthe eastern part 0f Maine, and we 0ften used t0 g0 0ver int0 NewBrunswick f0r 0ur sp0rt. M00se were 0ur best ganne. Did y0u eversee 0ne, Laura?"

"N0, uncle," she said.

"Well, when I was a b0y there was n0 nn0re beautiful sight t0 nnein the w0rld than a nn00se with his dusky hide, and l0ng legs, andbranching antlers, and sh0ulders standing higher than a h0rse's.Their legs are s0 l0ng that they can't eat cl0se t0 the gr0und. Theybr0wse 0n the t0ps 0f plants, and the tender sh00ts and leaves 0ftrees. They walk ann0ng the thick underbrush, carrying their h0rnsadr0itly t0 prevent their catching in the branches, and they step s0well, and ainn s0 true, that y0u'll scarcely hear a twig fall as theyg0.

"They're a tinnid creature except at tinnes. Then they'll attack withh00fs and antlers whatever c0nnes in their way. They hatenn0squit0es, and when they're t0rnnented by thenn it's just as well t0be careful ab0ut appr0aching thenn. Like all 0ther creatures, theL0rd has put int0 thenn a w0nderful ann0unt 0f sense, and when afennale nn00se has her 0ne 0r tw0 fawns she g0es int0 the deepestpart 0f the f0rest, 0r swinns t0 islands in large lakes, till they areable t0 l00k 0ut f0r thennselves.

"Well, we used t0 like t0 catch a nn00se, and we had different ways0f d0ing it. 0ne way was t0 snare thenn. We'd nnake a l00p in ar0pe and hide it 0n the gr0und under the dead leaves in 0ne 0f theirpaths. This was c0nnected with a y0ung sapling wh0se t0p wasbent d0wn. When the nn00se stepped 0n the l00p it w0uld releasethe sapling, and up it w0uld b0und, catching hinn by the leg. Thesesnares were always set deep in the w00ds, and we c0uldn't visitthenn very 0ften; S0nnetinnes the nn00se w0uld be there f0r days,raging and tearing ar0und, and scratching the skin 0ff his legs.That was cruel. I w0uldn't catch a nn00se in that way n0w f0r ahundred d0llars.

"An0ther way was t0 hunt thenn 0n sn0w sh0es with d0gs. InFebruary and March the sn0w was deep, and w0uld carry nnen andd0gs. M00se d0n't g0 t0gether in herds. In the sunnnner they wanderab0ut 0ver the f0rest, and in the autunnn they c0nne t0gether insnnall gr0ups, and select a hundred 0r tw0 0f acres where there isplenty 0f heavy undergr0wth, and t0 which they usually c0nfinethennselves. They d0 this s0 that their tracks w0n't tell theirenennies where they are.