CHAPTER III.

The Museum.


Let us now proceed to examine the other objects in the museum. A wide
shelf, elevated about four feet above the floor, extends entirely
around the room, and on this the specimens are mounted. On one side of
the door stands a tall, majestic elk, with his head thrown forward,
and his wide-spreading antlers lowered, as if he meant to dispute our
entrance. On the opposite side is a large black fox, which stands with
one foot raised and his ears thrown forward, as if listening to some
strange sound. This is the same fox which so long held possession of
Reynard's Island; and the young naturalist and his cousin were the
ones who succeeded in capturing him. The next two scenes are what
Frank calls his "masterpieces." The first is a large buck, running for
dear life, closely followed by a pack of gaunt, hungry wolves, five in
number, with their sharp-pointed ears laid back close to their heads,
their tongues hanging out of their mouths, and their lips spotted with
foam The flanks of the buck are dripping with blood from wounds made
by their long teeth. In the next scene the buck is at bay. Almost
tired out, or, perhaps, too closely pressed by his pursuers, he has at
length turned furiously upon them, to sell his life as dearly as
possible. Two of the wolves are lying a little distance off, where
they have been tossed by the powerful buck, one dead, the other
disabled; and the buck's sharp antlers are buried deep in the side of
another, which had attempted to seize him.

Well may Frank be proud of these specimens, for they are admirably
executed. The animals are neatly stuffed, and look so lifelike and the