THE START OF THE TRAIL 3 



men, some villagers, Comrade, and I, enjoying the 

 warmth of the room, discussing the weather, and 

 telling stories of the woods and the lumber-camps. 



"Say, Bill," asked the agent, "have yer heard 

 about the doings out at Gordon's Camp ? No ? 



"Wai, yer know that woman, the wife of the cook 

 that Gordon hired last fall. Wai, they say she's 

 bringing up a bear with her baby ; sleep together, 

 they say, in the same cradle. 



"Yer don't believe it ?" he inquired of me, as he 

 saw the incredulous look on my face. "Wai, you 

 walk up the road to the store. Gordon's father, he 

 keeps it. You ask him. Young Gordon was out day 

 before yesterday and told the old man about it. 

 He'll tell you it's the truth." 



We had a long wait before train-time, and the 

 incident was so unusual that I bundled into my big 

 overcoat and went out seeking information. The 

 storekeeper was locking up for the night when I 

 arrived; but as soon as he learned my errand, he 

 let me in and gladly told me all he knew about the 

 bear that was being brought up as a child. 



"Jim was in a hurry when he come out the other 

 day," said he. "Took No. 37 down river to Bangor. 

 He didn't have time to say more'n that they'd 

 found a bear's den with a cub in it. A cute little 

 feller; Jim said it beat all how small he was. He 

 cried just like a baby when they hauled him out on 



