172 



RECREA TION. 



If they were bear hunters why did they 

 want to discuss a subject that we came 

 into the woods to do — i.e. kill bears. 

 Why not start on the trail as soon as 

 found? That's what I kept thinking 

 to myself, as we went along. 



The bear led us a fine chase, up the 

 side of a steep hill. Suddenly my 

 pards stopped. We had found the 

 bear. He was standing across the 

 trail, right side to us, head turned 

 toward us, nose slightly up in the air 

 as if smelling us. I looked at my 

 pards, and they were as white as the 

 snow around us. There and then it 

 went through my mind that they knew 

 nearly as much about Old Ephraim as 

 I did. 



As for myself, well, I felt queer. 

 My flesh seemed full of pins and nee- 

 dles. My blood ran cold. My heart 

 seemed to stop beating. Of one 

 thing I am certain. If I had not shut 

 my mouth, like a No. 6 Newhouse 

 steel trap, my heart would sure have 

 jumped out; but as I kept my face 

 closed my heart tried to beat its way 

 out, by way of my ribs. 



Of course you all know how quick 

 a thought flies. On sizing up my 

 pards up went the pop-gun and "pop" 

 she went. So did I. I fired a snap 

 shot for Old Ephraim's eye and never 

 waited to see the result. I knew I 

 could outrun either of the other men; 

 and if not, what difference? They 

 could hit him in the eye, while charg- 

 ing. 



When I started on my 2 mile a min- 

 ute gait, I heard the sound of hasty 

 footsteps behind me, accompanied by 

 a terrible string of oaths. Something 

 sounded like " Hold on there! " But 

 it made no difference in my gait. I 

 was playing " Home, Sweet Home " 

 with my feet. How true that old song 

 seemed just then — " There's no place 

 like home." 



In the space of but a few seconds 

 there was no sound to be heard, save 

 the fall of my feet, as I chased them 

 down the hill side, and the thumping 

 of my heart against my ribs as if say- 

 ing, " Run Joe, Run." 



On reaching the shack I went in, 

 without knocking, sat down on the 

 lower bunk and then sized up the win- 

 dow opposite, and the large chimney 

 on my right, with its smoking black 

 log, to be sure which way would make 

 the best back door if Old Ephraim 

 came in at the front door. Suddenly 

 I heard the fall of feet, outside, and in 

 came the door, hinges and all, my pards 

 tumbling over each other, to get in 

 first. Scared as I was it made me smile. 



Well, after a bit things quieted 

 down. I wanted the men to come 

 down to Old Aleck's with me, but 

 they would not do it; so I went alone. 

 As soon as I told the old man he put 

 on a well worn belt, filled with 45-70- 

 405 cartridges, and reaching up took 

 down a 45 Sharp's rifle. His every ac- 

 tion meant business. He never spoke 

 a word but we started for our shack. 



On reaching there it was too late to 

 go up the hill that day, so Old Aleck 

 listened to the tale of the bear hunt, at 

 the end of which, if he didn't give my 

 pards fits — oh no! Then I give it up. 

 The next morning we followed my 

 trail up the hill. At one place we 

 found a pile of dead-falls as high as 

 my breast. My trail showed I had not 

 gone around or climbed over, as the 

 soft snow on the top had not been 

 touched. Therefore I had jumped it. 



I don't remember much about the 

 down trip. Of course I was not 

 scared. I was only in a hurry to get 

 home, for fear the bread might spoil. 

 Then, to cap it all, on reaching the 

 spot there was Old Ephraim. He had 

 never followed us one step. The bul- 

 let had hit him square in the eye. Old 

 Aleck looked at me and said, 



" My boy, take my advice, and in 

 future always see where your bullet 

 goes, before you run." 



And I have ever since followed his 

 advice. It would be good advice for 

 some other " hunters " to follow, too. 



After getting the meat and hide 

 home, I divided the grub with my 

 pards, took up my residence with Old 

 Aleck, and we got several bear, the 

 following spring. 



