166 THE RED MOUNTAIN OF ALASKA. 
attack the camp. And the chance of killing her, in case 
of a fight, without injury to some of the party, was very 
small. 
The result proved that the guides' reasoning was cor- 
rect. A watch was kept up during the night, but noth- 
ing more was heard from the ursine neighbors. Early in 
the morning, the party folded their tents like the Arabs, 
and as silently stole away." 
It was very rare, Joe informed them, that a grizzly cub 
was still so small at that season. They are usually born 
in January or February, and by the time midsummer 
arrives are able to shift for themselves. 
It would be tedious to follow our friends in their long, 
wearisome tramp through the forest. At the end of the 
tenth day, Hugh, looking down from a high bluff by 
the river's bank, beheld a sight that made his heart beat 
with delight. 
His shout of joy called the rest to his side. 
" The raft 1 The raft ! " he cried, pointing to a bend 
in the river just below. 
Sure enough, there was the old craft, grounded high 
and dry, one end of it at least on a mud bank. All 
hands rushed down, and, not without more or less wet- 
ting, clambered on board. 
Not one article of their belongings remained on the 
raft, except a rusty axe. Every other scrap had been 
swept away by flood, wind, or wild beasts. 
The raft was in tolerably good repair, and, with the 
