eaching stride. Suddenly he uttered an
exclamation. "Look!" said he; "there's two more just come out of the
brush. It's an old she bear and her cubs coming down to fish!"

All could now see the three bears, the great, yellow-gray mother, huge
and shaggy, and the two cubs, darker in color and, of course, much
smaller, although each was as large as the ordinary black bear of the
United States. Certainly it was an exciting moment as the boys looked at
these great creatures now so close at hand.

Presently the old bear seemed to suspect something, for she stopped and
sat up on her haunches, swinging from side to side a head which was
fully as long as the arm of any one of the boys.

"She probably smells the smoke," whispered Rob. "Oh, I hope she won't
get scared and run away! No, there she comes; it's the first salmon run,
and they're all hungry for fish."

They watched the bears until at last they disappeared in the brush which
lined the creek on the farther side. Rob kept his eye intently fixed on
the place where they had disappeared, but made no motion to leave the
hut until finally all three of the bears once more appeared, this time
splashing across the creek.

"She knows the tide as well as we do," muttered he. "It won't be long
now before the fish begin to move up the creek again. Now, come on,
fellows, if you're not afraid!"

Rob looked around at John, who had his new rifle in his hand, but looked
none too eager, now that the opportunity had come to use it. Jesse's
lip, it must be confessed, trembled a little bit, and he was pale. The
first sight of a large bear has been known to unsettle the nerves of
many a grown man, and it was not to be wondered at that it should
disturb one of Jesse's years. There was, perhaps, in the wild and remote
situation in which they found themselves something which gave them
courage. They had escaped such dangers of the sea that now the danger of
the land seemed less by comparison. Moreover, they all had the hunting
instinct, and were accustomed to seeing big game brought in by their
relatives and friends. Had an older person been with them, no doubt they
would all have been frightened; but there is something strange in the
truth that when one is thrown on one's own resources courage comes when
needed--as it did now to these three castaways.

Without any further speech Rob passed out at the door and stood waiting
for the others to follow. Each was silent as he held his way down t