Jonathan had a fairly good knife, however, and by using the axe they succeeded in rudely butchering the carca.s.s and dismembering it. Even then the quarters were so heavy that their full strength was required to drag them up the bluff and load them into the wagon. The head, with its broad, branching antlers, was all that they could lift to the top of their now bulky load.
The task had taken till past four o"clock of that stormy November afternoon. Twilight was upon them, the wintry twilight of a snowstorm, before they made start; and it was long past midnight when they finally plodded home.
There were corncake and moose venison for Thanksgiving dinner.