SOME EARLY EXPERIENCES. 45 



We ate our supper which Benson had waiting for us. We 

 had little to say farther than to talk of what a fearful rain we 

 were having. After supper was over I took the water pail, though 

 it was nearly full of water, and threw the water out the door 

 before Benson had time to object, saying that I|would get a pail 

 of fresh water. Hill said that we should let Benson go after the 

 water as he had not been out of the shanty all day and needed 

 some fresh air. Benson consented .to go after another pail of 

 water although he said that he had brought the water that we had 

 thrown out just before we came. I told Benson that I would 

 hold the light at the door so he could see but Benson replied that 

 I need not bother, all that was necessary was to leave the door 

 of the shack open so that he could see his way back. 



About the time that Benson reached the log he gave a ter- 

 rible howl and we heard the water pail go rattling through the 

 brush and when we got to the door Benson was coming on all 

 fours, scrambling as fast as he could and yelling "Bah bah bear 

 -bear !" 



Hill nor I could not keep from roaring with laughter, and 

 finally Hill managed to say, "Oh, you didn't see any bear." 



Benson made no reply but was as white as a sheet and shook 

 as though he had the ague. We could not conceal our feelings 

 and when Benson found his speech he said, "You think you are 

 mighty cunning; if you got a bear why didn't you say so and not 

 act like two dumb idiots." 



We had laughed so hard that Benson caught on and the game 

 was up. 



Well, after Benson was onto our joke, nothing would do but 

 we must get the bear in and skin out the fore parts so we could 

 have some bear meat cooked before we went to bed. Every time 

 Hill awoke during the night he would burst out laughing while 

 Benson would hurl a few cuss words at him. 



The next day we brought in the skin and saddles of the other 

 bear, leaving the fore quarters for fox and marten bait. 



The rain now being about over with and the ground and leaves 

 thoroughly soaked, it was a good time for still hunting deer, so 

 we were all out early the next morning. We started out together 



