THE BEAR "MONARCH." 185 



exasperating iteration, "I believe there 

 don't vas any bears in der gountry. I look 

 for 'em every day, thinking perhaps might 

 I could see one, but I don't could see any." 

 And every night before he turned in, 

 Sparkuhle said: "Veil, might did a bear 

 come tonight. I wish I could see one, but 

 I think there don't vas any bears at all." 



Sparkuhle scorned the shelter of the 

 bough shed, under which the Examiner 

 outfit slept, and spread his blankets on top 

 of a bank about six feet above a rocky shelf 

 that was used as a pantry and kitchen. 

 His only weapon was his pick, and he was 

 not afraid of being disturbed by any prowl 

 ing animal. 



It was about midnight when the camp 

 was alarmed by the snorting of the horses 

 and the clatter of hoofs galloping down 

 the canyon, but before the cause of the dis 

 turbance could be learned a yell of sur 

 prise came from Sparkuhle, followed by a 

 crash and a terrible clatter among the pots 

 and pans below the bank. In another mo- 



