THE START OF THE TRAIL 9 
With much interest and considerable appre- 
hension I listened to the controversy, which had 
grown quite violent and now threatened to end in 
a fight. Finally I stepped into the midst of the 
wranglers and ended the disturbance by announc- 
ing that the lumber road was my choice. At least, 
it started in the village and ended in a definite 
place; and if I could not get off it, for the same 
reason, I could not get lost. At all events, I was 
not looking for trouble until it came to me. 
An hour later my outfit, a fine pair of heavy bay 
horses drawing a two-sledded pung, drew up in 
front of the house; and in a few minutes we were 
off, in the midst of a chorus of shouted warnings 
and advice from the villagers. It was after ten 
o’clock, and I could now see that it would be im- 
possible for me to get back in time for the night 
train home. However, I had come a long way for 
that bear story, and I was bound to get it if I had 
to spend a week in the woods. 
For three miles our road led through the sparsely 
settled district, and we sped briskly along on a firm 
track. The white blanket of snow stretched level 
and smooth over the tops of walls and fences. The 
big brass bell on the end of the pole throbbed its 
ever-musical beat with the regular stride of our 
steeds, and the steel-shod runners creaked loudly 
as they moved on the up grades of the hard-packed 
