290 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: 

 "Bauman, that bear has been walking on two 



