at some
tracks in the soft slushy snow.

"Ha! Mike in time for him. Him big bear. Him hungry an' come see camp,
but smell meat in trap--ha!"

Mike followed the tracks eagerly and found they led him almost directly
to the place where his long-waited-for prize was caught.

The bear was exhausted from struggling to escape from the trap and Mike
soon put an end to her pain with a rifle-bullet.

She was an immense black bear which must have come some distance for
food. Mike looked her over carefully and nodded his head with
understanding as he spoke to himself while loosing the spring on the
trap.

"Her got cubs at home in her cave. Her hungly an' hunt eats for her
babbies. Mike mus' hunt for babbies an' carry home to feed."

The trap was set again, and with satisfaction that his whole winter was
not wasted in a civilized life--proof--the bear he was dragging back to
camp--Mike appeared at the clearing just as the children wondered what
had become of their play-mate.

Mike dragged the improvised carrier made of boughs, with the black bear
laid out upon them, into the camp where everyone gathered to behold the
trophy of the Indian's trap. They felt of the thick fur, the still warm
nose, and examined the sharp claws that could be so cruel.

"My, but she's a big one, Mike!" said Mr. Latimer.

"Humph! Her got two cubs--home. Mike mus' go fin' 'em now. Babbies
hungly an' got no eats. Babbies starve."

The bear was taken to a place under the trees back of the Cookee's
cabin, and Mike filled his belt with ammunition and saw to it that his
rifle was in perfect order, for he might meet with opposition from some
hungry animals on his way to find the cave.

Cookee packed a good kit of food for Mike, and, strapping this, with a
blanket, upon his back, he started off on his quest. The children stood
mournfully watching him disappear through the thick forest, then turned
their attention to planning what to do with the little bears.

"Wish I could have gone with him," said Paul.

"Me too! What's the use of spending a winter in Canada if you have to
snoop around camp all the time," added Meredith.

Mike found the tracks of the bear where he had first seen them, and
followed them closely.

That night, Mike made camp out in the open forest, and heard enough
beasts prowling about his fire during the night to prove that they had
not all been frightened away.

Early in the morning, after a hasty breakfast, Mike picked up the