44 THE HIVE OF THE BEE-HUNTER. 



Then, speaking energetically, he said, " Boys, 

 never fire at a bar's head, even if your iron is in his 

 ear, its unsartain ; look how I missed the brain, and 

 only tore the smellers ; with fewer dogs, and sich a 

 shot, a fellow would be ripjoed open in a powder flash ; 

 and I say, cuss caps, and head shooting; they would 

 have cost two lives to-day, but for them ar blessed 

 dogs." 



With such remarks Bob Herring beguiled away the 

 time, while he, with others, skinned the bear. His huge 

 carcass when dressed, though not over fat, looked like a 

 huge young steer's. The dogs, as they recovered breath, 

 partook of the refuse with a relish ; the nearest possible 

 route out of the Retreat was selected, and two horse 

 loads took the meat into the open woods, where it was 

 divided out in such a manner, that it could be taken 

 home. 



Bob Herring, w^hile the dressing of the bear was go- 

 ing on, took the skin, and, on its inside surface, which 

 glistened like satin, he carefully deposited the caul fat, 

 and beside it the liver — the choice parts of the bear, ac- 

 cording to the gourmand notions of the frontier, were in 

 Bob's possession ; and many years' experience had made 

 him so expert in cooking it, that he was locally famed 

 for this matter above all competitors. 



It would be as impossible to give the recipe for this 

 dish, so that it might be followed by the gastronomers 



