on 



some vacant cabins of other prospectors, who had 

 " gone out for the winter " and were not yet back 

 for summer prospecting. 



The evening was mild, and as soon as supper 

 was over Sullivan filled his pipe, opened the door, 

 and sat down on the edge of the bed for a smoke, 

 while Jason washed the dishes. He had taken 

 only a few pulls at his pipe when there was a 

 rattling at the window. Thinking the dog was 

 outside, Sullivan called, " Why don't you go round 

 to the door ? " This invitation was followed by a 

 momentary silence, then smash ! a piece of sash 

 and fragments of window-glass flew past Sullivan 

 and rattled on the floor. He jumped to his feet. 

 In the dim candle-light he saw a bear's head 

 coming in through the window. He threw his 

 pipe of burning tobacco into the bear's face and 

 eyes, and then grabbed for some steel drills which 

 lay in the corner on the floor. The earth roof 

 had leaked, and the drills were ice-covered and 

 frozen fast to the floor. 



While Sullivan was dislodging the drills, Jason 

 began to bombard the bear vigorously with plates 

 from the table. The bear backed out ; she was 



220 



