"HOW MUCH WILL YOU BET?" 173 



We carefully made our way down stream on 

 the other side and soon came to the bear. He 

 was prone on the ground, but was still alive, 

 and another shot was necessary to finish him. 



The wind had now increased to a gale. 

 We took the skin off and found that the 

 second bullet had struck him under the spine, 

 passing along for nine inches, and then coming 

 out through the spine again, so that the spinal 

 cord was cut in two places, thus paralyzing 

 the hind legs. 



The Chief produced his two clean, white 

 bags, and the rich fat on the back and intes- 

 tines of the bear filled them as full as they 

 would hold. We found that the stomach was 

 crammed full of the bear-root, a good bit of it 

 being well digested; all in all he was in prime 

 condition. 



I was now reminded of my bet of one hun- 

 dred to one against my getting a bear, and the 

 Chief took much pleasure in "rubbing it in." 



It need not be said that I was much pleased 

 with the successful stalk made under such 

 peculiar and trying conditions. Fortunately 

 I had on the saddle a pair of dry shoes and 

 socks, and, the wet ones having been ex- 

 changed for these, we made a fire, cooked our 

 mate, and ate our lunch with rare appe- 



