THE START OF THE TRAIL 9 



With much interest and considerable appre- 

 hension I listened to the controversy, which had 

 grown quite violent and now threatened to end in 

 a fight. Finally I stepped into the midst of the 

 wranglers and ended the disturbance by announc- 

 ing that the lumber road was my choice. At least, 

 it started in the village and ended in a definite 

 place ; and if I could not get off it, for the same 

 reason, I could not get lost. At all events, I was 

 not looking for trouble until it came to me. 



An hour later my outfit, a fine pair of heavy bay 

 horses drawing a two-sledded pung, drew up in 

 front of the house ; and in a few minutes we were 

 off, in the midst of a chorus of shouted warnings 

 and advice from the villagers. It was after ten 

 o'clock, and I could now see that it would be im- 

 possible for me to get back in time for the night 

 train home. However, I had come a long way for 

 that bear story, and I was bound to get it if I had 

 to spend a week in the woods. 



For three miles our road led through the sparsely 

 settled district, and we sped briskly along on a firm 

 track. The white blanket of snow stretched level 

 and smooth over the tops of walls and fences. The 

 big brass bell on the end of the pole throbbed its 

 ever-musical beat with the regular stride of our 

 steeds, and the steel-shod runners creaked loudly 

 as they moved on the up grades of the hard-packed 



