GAMBLING FOR GLOEY. 233 



the skin, and that will be of uo special- value except as a 

 trophy." 



" Not exactly," resumed Smith. " FH deal frankly with 

 you, gentlemen. There'll be a good many stories to be told 

 about the killing of that bear, and my object is to appropri- 

 ate the glory of the achievement. Now it wont be a mat- 

 ter to boast of, to say that we three fired into one bear, and 

 that none of the largest." 



" Oh 1 as to that," said the Doctor, " I intend to enlarge 

 upon the subject, exaggerating the size of the bear, describ- 

 ing the terrible conflict I had with him, how I happened to 

 save myself by remembering my double-barrelled pistol ; how 

 I made the three ball holes in him, while you and Spalding 

 were running away, and how he bit me in the arm, and 

 almost hugged me to death, while I was trying to get at 

 the pistol. I shall shine in that bear story ! Yes ! yes I I 

 shall shine 1 " 



" Hear the cormorant ! " exclaimed Smith. " Hear him I 

 And he'll do precisely as he says he will, only a great deal 

 worse. We must buy him but, Spalding. We must pur- 

 chase his silence for our own credit." t 



" Well, gentlemen," replied Spalding, " settle it between 

 you you are welcome to my share of the achievement. The 

 scream of mortal agony which that bear sent up when our 

 three balls went crashing through its body rings in my ears 

 yet. I don't feel quite so proud of the shot as I otherwise 

 should have done. You are welcome to my share of the 

 glory." 



