70 CAMP-FIRES OF A NATURALIST. 



The excitement of the bear-hunt made them forget 

 for the time being how tired they were, but now that 

 it was all over they went slowly back to get their 

 supper. In the fight with the bear they had travelled 

 nearly two miles down the canon, and were almost 

 exhausted when camp was reached. In their haste 

 to get to the bear Brown had forgotten to tie up old 

 Reuben, and that animal utilised the opportunity by 

 doing up the camp while they were doing up the 

 bear. He first made a raid on the little pole table 

 made between the trees and cleaned it off. He ate 

 the apple-sauce and licked the dish. The last half- 

 pound of butter followed this. The soap was gone. 

 A piece of bacon had been pulled down and 

 mouthed until it was useless. The dish-cloth had 

 been chewed, and when found the old reprobate had 

 just finished the batch of hot bread which had been 

 left baking in the Dutch oven covered with coals. 

 Reuben had poked the cover off without burn- 

 ing himself and finished the bread. Such inci- 

 dents are amusing to look back upon or to tell 

 about, but just at that time it was the straw 

 which broke the hearts of the naturalists. Reuben's 

 head was tied close to a tree, where he was left to 

 repent of his sins, which he undoubtedly did, for 

 next morning he made a light luncheon off of one of 

 Brown's socks which had been hung on a bush to 

 dry. 



That afternoon a voice was heard calling away 

 down the canon. Wondering who it could be, Dyche 

 and Brown went down to render aid if aid was 

 needed. It was Clare, who had made the trip up 



