306 WITH GUN AND GUIDE 



very morning taken possession of the decaying 

 carcass. 



It was believed by both of us that if the threatened 

 storm did break it would, of course, effectually destroy 

 our scent, and there would be a chance of the bear 

 crawling into the artificial den and getting in range 

 with the bullet by creeping forward on his belly and 

 reaching out with his paws ; but if it shouldn't rain, then 

 nothing would be doing and I should be compelled to 

 return empty-handed as far as a bear was concerned. 

 So we left for the night and led the horses along with 

 us, arriving at the cabin some time after dark. 



We sat down to supper, but before a bite was eaten 

 a flash of vivid lightning and a peal of thunder startled 

 and rejoiced us. These were followed by another hail- 

 storm and then a deluge of rain, and, listening to its 

 pattering on the roof, we retired to rest, anxious as to 

 what the morning light would develop down on the 

 blueberry barren. 



I was up at four o'clock in the morning and packed 

 all of my belongings in the dunnage bags, ready for 

 the packhorses. When this was done breakfast was 

 ready, and it was not long before Kibbee, Duffy (the 

 half-breed trapper) and the writer were off for the bear 

 ground, to see what it had in store for us. 



Kibbee led the way and took an easy pace, making 

 no noise whatever as he slid along ahead of us. When 

 we got in sight of the " contraption," however, he 



