sy."

The hunter hauled the cub up short, and half pulled, half lifted him
into the door. I took off my rifle, emptied my pockets of brush and beat
out the dust, and combed the pine-needles from my hair. My hands were
puffed and red, and smarted severely. And altogether I was in no amiable
frame of mind as regarded my captive bear cub.

When I stepped inside the cabin it was dark, and coming from the bright
light I could not for a moment see what the interior looked like.
Presently I made out one large room with no opening except the door.
There was a tumble-down stone fireplace at one end, and at the other a
rude ladder led up to a loft. Hiram had thrown his pack aside, and had
tied Cubby to a peg in the log wall.

"Wal, I'll fetch in some fresh venison," said the hunter. "You rest
awhile, an' then gather some wood an' make a fire."

The rest I certainly needed, for I was so tired I could scarcely
untie the pack to get out the blankets. The bear cub showed signs or
weariness, which pleased me. It was not long after Hiram's departure
that I sank into a doze.

When my eyes opened I knew I had been awakened by something, but I could
not tell what. I listened. Cubby was as quiet as a mouse, and his very
quiet and the alert way he held his ears gave me a vague alarm. He had
heard something. I thought of the old hunter's return, yet this did not
reassure me.

All at once the voices of men made me sit up with a violent start. Who
could they be? Had Hiram met a ranger? I began to shake a little, and
was about to creep to the door when I heard the clink of stirrups and
soft thud of hoofs. Then followed more voices, and last a loud volley of
curses.

"Herky-Jerky!" I gasped, and looked about wildly.

I had no time to dash out of the door. I was caught in a trap, and I
felt cold and sick. Suddenly I caught sight of the ladder leading to
the loft. Like a monkey I ran up, and crawled as noiselessly as possible
upon the rickety flooring of dry pine branches. Then I lay there
quivering.

XIV. A PRISONER

It chanced that as I lay on my side my eye caught a gleam of light
through a little ragged hole in the matting of pine branches. Part of
the interior of the cabin, the doorway, and some space outside were
plainly visible. The thud of horses had given place to snorts, and then
came a flopping of saddles and packs on the ground. "Any water hyar?"
asked a gruff voice I recognized as Bill's. "Spring right thar," replie