A 11 U N T K K ' S li I F E 115 



Other, I gathered the bark from them, and, by laying it 

 over the cross-logs, thus made a poor kind of resting-place 

 for that night. My next job was to make a fire, which 1 

 was afraid I would be puzzled to do, everything being wet 

 and covered with snow. However, I succeeded in kindling 

 a large fire before my camp, when I crawled under the 

 shed, which was not more than two feet high, and lay 

 (liere lialf the night; first turning one side of my body to 

 tlie fire, and then the other, in order to dry my clothes 

 While I lay with one side up, the fine hail would fall into 

 my ear ; and when I turned over, it fell into the other. 

 Finally, I took the tow I used for cleaning my gun, and 

 with it corked up both ears ; and after laying down again, 

 I found I had hit on an excellent way of keeping the hail 

 out. 



I worried out the night, troubled with many anxious 

 thoughts about Mary ; for I knew she would think I had 

 fallen in with some beast, and been killed. As soon as it 

 was light enough to see to walk, I set off for home, 

 being determined to get there as fast as my feet could take 

 me. I steered my course as well as I knew how, taking 

 good care not to go back to the Little Crossings again. 

 After travelling a long time, at length I heard my dog 

 barking in a thick swamp of laurel. 1 went in slowly, to 

 avoid making a noise ; and seeing a small bear up a tree 

 I shot it in the head. It was a fine little bear, as fat as 

 butter ; but what to do with it I did not know. If I left 

 it in the woods, and the snow should melt off, I never 

 could find it again ; and besides, I knew not how to get 

 there with my horse. So I determined to carry it as far 

 as I could, and then leave it where I could find it another 

 time. I thought of making a fire, and roasting a part of 

 it for my breakfast ; but considering that it would take too 

 much time, and how uneasy Mary must be, I concluded to 

 try and get home without delay. 



