29 Hunting the Grisly 



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 destroy 

 ing their lean-to. The footprints of the beast 

 were quite plain, but at first they paid no par 

 ticular heed to them, busying themselves with 

 rebuilding the lean-to, laying out their beds 

 and stores, and lighting the fire. 



While Bauman was making ready supper, 

 it being already dark, his companion be 

 gan to examine the tracks more closely, and 

 soon took a brand from the fire to follow 

 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 inspection of the foot 

 prints very closely. Coming back to the fire, 

 he stood by it a minute or two, peering out 

 into the darkness, and suddenly remarked: 

 &quot;Bauman, that bear has been walking on two 



