TRAMP OVER THE MOUNTAINS. 215 



and the travelling over fallen timber and rocks and 

 through deep gulches was very hard. Two grouse 

 furnished supper for the hunters and this was all the 

 meat they had. They were now well down the moun- 

 tain, and just as they were preparing to go into 

 camp they saw an immense bear-track. The ani- 

 mal had passed along but a short time before. The 

 track was fully nine inches wide in the soft snow. As 

 he walked he had swung his claws out to one side, 

 and the marks left in the snow were enormous. This 

 bear was just what Dyche was needing, and the en- 

 thusiasm of both the hunters was aroused. 



" That old fellow will not go far in this weather. 

 He's just out for an evening's walk. I'll bet we'll 

 find him within two miles of camp in the morning," 

 said the Pathfinder. 



" Well, I'm going to follow him to the jumping- 

 off place or get him. He's just the one I need for 

 my collection," replied Dyche. 



" Oh, we'll get him sure enough. Don't you worry," 

 was McLaughlin's encouraging answer. 



"I'll tell you what I'll do," said the naturalist. 

 " I'll give you a clean fifty-dollar bill extra if we get 

 that bear." 



While McLaughlin was eager enough to go after 

 bear, or anything else that Dyche wanted, without the 

 offer of extra pay, this inducement filled him with a 

 desire to slay the bear at once. The two hunters 

 spent the night dreaming of big bears, but their 

 hopes were sadly dashed when they saw a heavy 

 fall of snow that had come down during the night, 

 completely obliterating every vestige of the bear- 

 15 



