120 TWO DIANAS IN ALASKA 



with calmness ? After all, are not pin-pricks notori- 

 ously harder to bear than a good rapier-thrust, which 

 needs must be attended to? Balzac, most wonderful 

 of observers, held that more men commit suicide be- 

 cause a few pin-pricks follow one on the other than 

 from some terrific trouble. Of course we didn't feel 

 like committing suicide, but we got up in an agreeable 

 blend between night and morning, and went out after 

 the wounded bear before we had our breakfast. 

 Which is suicidal in tendency. Breakfast is the main 

 stand-by of the Briton, and by their breakfasts ye 

 shall know them. 



We decided to have nothing to do with either of our 

 hunters, whose methods of stalking were much too 

 slap-dash for us, and sallied forth alone. We took 

 the exact route of the previous night, and gained the 

 alder fastness in no time. Everything was very 

 silent. Save for the liquid notes of a hermit thrush 

 carolling his song to the dawn, the wilderness was not 

 awake. Cautiously we investigated, keeping together. 

 It was no use entering the place from opposite sides, 

 for, in the event of a scrimmage, we might shoot one 

 another. 



Making a wide detour, circling the spot, we came 

 up in the rear of the place where last night our enemy 

 had entrenched himself. The citadel was much easier 

 carried thus. With great care and discretion we 

 penetrated the clump of alders, and each step we took 

 was on the impress of myriad bear tracks. This way 

 and that the trails ran, evidently the fastness was a 

 favourite haunt of Bruin's. As we progressed we 



