00-KOO-HOO PLAYS THE GAME 133 



came into view as it circled a little in order to descend. Pres- 

 ently it left the shadow of the forest and emerging into sun- 

 light on a snow-covered ledge, tm-ned its head as though it had 

 heard a sound in the rear. It was Oo-koo-hoo speaking: 



" Turn your head away, my brother . . ." but the report 

 of his gun cut short his sentence, and the bear, leaping forward, 

 disappeared among the growth below. Re-loading his gun, 

 the hunter slowly followed, more cautiously than ever, for he 

 saw from the blood upon the snow that the beast was wounded 

 and, therefore, dangerous. As he went he covered every likely 

 place with his gun, lest the bear should be lurking there and 

 rush at him. At last I saw him pause much longer than usual, 

 then move forward again. Finally he turned, and in a satisfied 

 tone exclaimed: "It's dead!" 



The ball had struck just behind the left shoulder and had 

 entered the heart; and the hunter explained that when he saw 

 his best chance, he spoke to the bear to make it pause in order 

 to better his aim. 



"And what did you say to him.^" 



"My son, I said: 'Turn your eyes away, my brother, for I 

 am about to kiU you.' I never care to fire at a bear without 

 first teUing him how sorry I am that I need his coat." 



Then the skinning began, and by noon we had it finished. 

 Loading the head and part of the meat on the sled, I hauled it, 

 while the hunter rolled up the heavy pelt and packed it upon 

 his back with the aid of a tump-line. Taking our loads back to 

 the river and caching them there, we continued along the 

 trapping trail. 



A DEADFALL FOR BEAR 



Soon we came to one of the best deadfalls I had ever seen. 

 It was set for bear, and was of the "log-house" kind, with 

 walls nearly six feet high, and a base that was eight feet long 

 by five feet wide in front, while only two feet in width in the 



