Here before him lay the thrill of adventure.

He heard strange sounds, but very soft sounds, as if made by padded feet and downy wings, and they filled him with a thrilling expectancy.

Under his feet there were no grass or weeds or flowers, but a wonderful brown carpet of soft evergreen needles.

They felt good to his feet, and were so velvety that he could not hear his own movement.
He was fully three hundred yards from the windfall when he passed Oohoomisew's stub and into a thick growth of young balsams.

And there--directly in his path--crouched the monster! Papayuchisew [Young Owl] was not more than a third as large as Baree.
But he was a terrifying-looking object.