THE BLACK BEAR. 253 



According to his promise, we were roused, and in Indian 

 file we accompanied him. As soon as it was light enough 

 to see, the old hunter pointed to a rotten log torn to pieces, 

 and the ground rooted up as if done by hogs. I said to 

 him that I thought it was hogs. 



"Look here," said he; "don't you see that broad track 

 sunk in the soft ground? Is that like a hog's track? " 



"No," said I; " that is a nigger's track. Some nigger 

 has been here digging worms to catch fish." 



"Wrong again. Look! you don't see the long, promi- 

 nent heel and broad bottom, like a negro or a human being. 

 Can't you see the marks of the claws? The nigger's feet 

 have no claws. No, that is Bear-sign; and it is a big Bear. 

 It did this work last night. Be silent, and perhaps we may 

 find it ' lopping' . ' ' 



As we silently followed, the old hunter pointed to a beech- 

 tree which a Bear had climbed, and the scratches looked 

 as if recently made. Soon I saw him pointing to leaves 

 turned over. Groing to the place, he scraped away the 

 leaves, examined closely, and whispBred, "A Bear did that." 



Ere long, we went by a chestnut-tree, and he pointed to 

 a pile of burs near the foot of the tree, where a Bear had 

 gathered the chestnuts and eaten them at his -leisure. This 

 pile he examined closely, and then said it had been done 

 several days before, but it proved to him that the Bears 

 were now "lopping." 



Presently he stopped. It was now light enough to see 

 quite plainly. He listened for some time; then, pointing in 

 a certain direction, whispered: " It is a Bear; he is lopping 

 about a quarter from us. Don't say a word; be sure not to 

 cough or sneeze, but fpllow in my tracks, and, above all, 

 don't break a dry twig — if you do, the Bear is lost to us. 

 Should I get close enough to sboot, both of you run up to 

 the tree, to prevent him from coming down. Should it fall, 

 both fire into it, aiming behind the shoulder. I will be up 

 with you, and before it can rise I will use my knife." 



Unfortunately, before we got in shooting distance, my 

 room-mate, who had caught cold, was compelled to cough, 



