e that the bear was already
on the sleigh, although it was covered over with a blanket. The men
started at us but did not say a word.

Uncle walked up to the end of the sleigh, caught a corner of the
blanket, threw it back and uncovered the bear. Then taking the bear
by the foreleg he gave it a flop onto the ground saying, "You have a
bear, haven't you," and the bear rolled to the ground and uncovered
the trap; Uncle said, "You have a trap, too, haven't you." Not a word
did any of the men say and when Uncle asked them who they were and
where they lived, one of them said that they did not intend to steal
the bear but were going to take it to the first house and leave it
for us.

Uncle told them that we did not care to have the bear go in that
direction and told the men they must take the bear to our camp and
their intentions were to steal the bear and trap and that they had
better settle the matter at once. The men were ready to settle and
asked what it would cost and Uncle told them if they would take the
bear to our camp and then leave the woods and not be caught in that
section again, that he would let them go. This they readily consented
to do and insisted that we take a part of a cheese they had brought
in with them. Uncle told them that we did not care for their cheese
or anything else they had--all that we wanted was that they take the
bear to our camp and get out of the woods. This they did and one of
them also took the cheese along and left it at the camp. Then they
left, begging that we would not say anything farther about the
matter.

We learned that the men did not live down the creek but instead lived
in New York State. They had come for a few days' deer hunting and had
only made a shelter of hemlock boughs. The first day out they ran
across the bear and as it was snowing they thought it would snow
enough to cover up their tracks and they would take the bear and get
back to New York State. Well, they did get back but it happened they
left the bear behind.

I would like to ask the old liners who have grown too old on the
trail and trap line to follow it longer with profit and pleasure, if
they keep bees? I find it a great pleasure to watch these little,
industrious and intelligent fellows work.

CHAPTER V.

Some Early Experiences (Concluded.)

I will state that I began my career as a trapper and hunter at a very
early age. The woods extended to the very door of my father's house
and deer were m