THE CABIN LOOTED. 85 



of a bear before I saw him. I skinned up that 

 tree in a hurry, and that bear came along and 

 ate up every one of those fish and then licked the 

 stringer. He then looked at me and walked off 

 about his business as if nothing had happened." 



"Why didn't you kill him with your big bear 

 knives?" asked Dyche. 



" I had left my knives at the cabin or there would 

 have been the worst bear-fight ever seen in these 

 mountains." 



"He would have killed you, Beaty, before you 

 could have hurt him with a knife." 



" He would have had some fun doin' it. I would 

 have thrown myself down on my back. That is 

 sure the way to fight a bear. When he came up 

 I would have plunged both knives into him. It 

 would sure have fixed him too." 



All this bear talk had a depressing effect upon 

 Mrs. Dyche, and as the party moved on towards the 

 cabin they saw that a bear had recently been there. 

 The little garden had been torn up and the big tracks 

 could be seen everywhere. 



"See, there are bears here. The woods are full 

 of them." 



Unlocking the door of the little two-roomed cabin, 

 Beaty stepped inside, but at once bounced out with 

 his eyes distended and his whole face showing great 

 excitement. 



"I've sure been robbed. Somebody's taken every- 

 thing I had, even my gun and pistol. There ain't 

 enough left for one meal. I'll follow them. If I 

 ever strike their trail they'll be mine." 



