idea, too!" exclaimed Will, getting busy at once with his
knife. "And that reminds me that we can have bear steak for supper if we
want it. We all like bear steak, you know!"

"I should say so!" replied Sandy.

It took the boys only a short time to remove the pelt from the bear and
provide themselves with a few pounds of steak. Then leaving part of
their fish, they started away up the creek toward the cabin.

Now and then Will stopped in the hurried walk to look toward Sandy and
grin in the most provoking manner.

"If you see anything about me you don't like," Sandy said, half-angrily,
on the third or fourth inspection, "you can just step over here and
knock it out of me! What are you making fun of me for?"

"You look like you'd been through a battle with a cage of monkeys,"
replied Will. "You've got a swipe on the side of the face, and your
cheek is scratched and bloody, and you got a swipe on your shoulder, and
there's a tear on your shoulder, in the flesh as well as in your coat,
and one eye will be black as soon as the blood settles under the
contusion. Take it up one side and down the other, you're a pretty
disreputable looking object!"

"You wait until you get into a fight with a bear, and see how you come
out! I'll bet you won't look as if you'd just dropped in from a pink
tea! You'll look about like thirty cents!"

"When I see a bear coming," replied Will, "I hope I'll have the sense to
run! I won't stay and get into a knock-down argument with him!"

It was nearly sundown when the boys came in sight of the cabin. They
looked eagerly through the twilight for a light, expecting that George
would have the great acetylene lamp in working order.

But no light showed from the cabin, and all was still as they approached
the door. When Will looked in he saw the interior was in confusion.

"I should think George might straighten things out a little bit," he
grumbled. "I'll bet he's been asleep all the afternoon!"

"I presume he has," agreed Sandy.

Will reached to the top of a shelf for an electric flashlight and swung
the circle of flame about the room.

"Why, look here!" he said excitedly, "what do you know about that?"

"About what?" demanded Sandy, who was looking the other way.

"About Bert's bed being empty!"

"That's another joke!"

"Not on your life!" exclaimed Will.

Sandy turned around, gave one glance at the vacant bunk, and dropped
weakly back into a chair.

"Do you think he got up and