200 THE DRAMA OF THE FORESTS 



the Injun dancin' roun' the foot o' the west pine; so he 

 makes for the redskin, an' chases him up while I climbs the 

 east pine. 



"Then we all went roun' an' roun' for maybe fifty laps, an' 

 the way we wore the bark off them trees an' trod down the 

 grass between 'em was a caution. By-an'-by the bear gets so 

 dizzy that he bucks up the birch agen, an' sure enuff that stops 

 the performance. 



"I didn't need any breakfast bell to remind me to open the 

 grub bag. I just reaches in an' pulls out some busted bannock 

 an' throws a chunk over to Old-pot-head's son, an' without even 

 sayin' grace, we starts in. Every little while I'd toss another 

 chunk of bread over to me pardner an' just out o' sheer spite 

 I'd chuck it so that it would go sailin' thro' the air right in 

 front o' the bear's snout. That makes him mad. So he tried 

 to catch the stuff as it flies by; but I just puts on a little more 

 curve, an' that makes him madder still, an' he ups an' comes for 

 me. 



"Then we all knocks off breakfast an' goes for another 

 canter. But it don't do no good, 'ceptin' that we all gets puffed 

 out agen. After a bit, the bear stops to ketch his breath, an' 

 then me an' me pardner goes on with our breakfast. 



"With the bear exercisin' us the way he did, we had to take 

 our breakfast in a good many courses. That makes it so long 

 drawn out that we gets mighty thirsty. The Injun asks me if 

 the cups is in the grub bag. I puts me han' in an' feels, but 

 they ain't there. Then I remembers that we left them down 

 by the fire. We didn't either of us care to risk snakin' a cup, 

 so I tells me pardner that the next time we goes roun' we'd best 

 try an' grab a handful o' water. We didn't have long to wait, 

 for the bear soon gets another move on; an' then away we all 

 goes sailin' roun' agen. Every time me an' the Injun canters 

 past the pool, we just makes a sudden dip an' grabs up a hand- 

 ful o' water an' throws it in. 



