THE LONE BULL OF SANDY LAKE 233 



happened. When the canoes met, the problem was 

 easily solved, as the sheet was a piece of sail-cloth which 

 covered some fresh moose meat that " Al " was bring- 

 ing out to us. 



Here "Al" took Dr. Hughes into his canoe and 

 turned back with us. Our boat, relieved of the weight 

 of the scientist, enabled us finally to make the shore. 

 We found that Dr. W. E. Eoe had actually seen a bear, 

 and the bear had really seen him, and, to be absolutely 

 sure about the matter, he the bear had risen on his 

 hind legs and looked at the doctor out of the corner 

 of his eye, then he the bear dropped to all fours and 

 loped away. Dr. Koe didn't shoot for two reasons- 

 first, because he thought the bear would come nearer, 

 which he didn't, and, next, because he thought he was 

 too far away to make an effective shot. 



The two doctors had been interested with the com- 

 pany of a mining prospector who had a claim on a creek 

 six miles away, which he was trying to develop into a 

 full-fledged gold mine. As this man, some years back, 

 had discovered one of the best-paying mines in the 

 Barkerville territory, his experience and knowledge 

 were entitled to much respect. 



The following morning we left the other half of the 

 party to wrestle with the problem of getting a shot at 

 that most particular bear. We crossed Little Lake, about 

 one-half of which is taken up by a great beaver meadow, 

 and through this meadow a channel not over eight feet 



