"Moose won't stand to watch a jack as deer do," he said. "Twill only
scare 'em off. They're a heap too cute to be taken in by an onnatural
big star floating over the water. But 'taint the lucky side of the moon
for us. She'll rise late, and her light'll be so feeble that it wouldn't
show us an elephant clearly if he was under our noses. So if I succeed
in coaxing a bull to the brink of the water, I'll open the jack, and
flash our light on him. He'll bolt the next minute as quick as greased
lightning on skates; but if you only get a short sight of him, I promise
that 'twill be one you'll remember."
"And if he should take a notion to come for us?" said Cyrus.
"He won't, if we don't fire. The boat will be lying among the black
shadows, snug in by the bank, and he'll see nothing but the dazzling
light. But you fellows must keep still as death. Off we go now, boys,
and mum's the word!"
This was almost the last sentence spoken. Not a syllable moved the lips
of any one of the four, as the boat glided away from camp towards the
south end of the lake, the oars making scarcely a sound as Herb handled
them.
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