In Cowboy Land. 443 



At dusk they again reached camp. The glade in which 

 it was pitched was not many yards wide, the tall, close-set 

 pines and firs rising round it like a wall. On one side was 

 a little stream, beyond which rose the steep mountain- 

 slopes, covered with the unbroken growth of the evergreen 

 forest. 



They were surprised to find that during their short 

 absence something, apparently a bear, had visited camp, 

 and had rummaged about among their things, scattering 

 the contents of their packs, and in sheer wantonness 

 destroying their lean-to. The footprints of the beast were 

 quite plain, but at first they paid no particular heed to 

 them, busying themselves with rebuilding the lean-to, lay- 

 ing out their beds and stores, and lighting the fire. 



While Bauman was making ready supper, it being 

 already dark, his companion began to examine the tracks 

 more closely, and soon took a brand from the fire to fol- 

 low them up, where the intruder had walked along a game 

 trail after leaving the camp. When the brand flickered 

 out, he returned and took another, repeating his inspec- 

 tion of the footprints very closely. Coming back to the 

 fire, he stood by it a minute or two, peering out into the 

 darkness, and suddenly remarked : " Bauman, that bear has 

 been walking on two legs." Bauman laughed at this, but 

 his partner insisted that he was right, and upon again 

 examining the tracks with a torch, they certainly did seem 

 to be made by but two paws, or feet. However, it was 

 too dark to make sure. After discussing whether the 

 footprints could possibly be those of a human being, and 

 coming to the conclusion that they could not be, the two 



