hen cuffed himself soundly
on both ears and slunk away in evident humiliation and disgust.

* * * * *

Nothing but Joe Stewart's flawless reputation for veracity could have
induced the Comstock to accept the account of Old Erin's visit to camp,
which broke up the trip, as it was given by the hunters when they
returned. Mr. Stewart made his living at cards and knew no other
profession or trade, but his word was as good as a secured note at the
bank, his views on ethical questions were considered superior to a
bishop's, and all around he was conceded to be a better citizen and an
honester man than Nevada had been able to send to the United States
Senate. Therefore, as Joe Stewart was one of the party and did not
deny that events happened as described by Col. Orndorff, the Comstock
never doubted the story of the Blazing Bear.

This section of the expedition had a large wall tent and all camp
conveniences, including lamps and a five-gallon can of kerosene. They
pitched their tent upon the bank of a stream near a deep pool such as
trout love in warm weather, and they played the national game every
night.

Col. Orndorff had opened an opulent jackpot, and Long Brown was
thinking about raising before the draw when he felt a nudge at his
elbow as if some one had stumbled against him. He was annoyed and he
drove his arm backward violently against the canvas, encountering
something solid and eliciting a loud and angry snort. Long Brown moved
just in time to escape the sweep of a huge paw, armed with claws like
sickles, which rent a great gap in the back of the tent and revealed a
gigantic bear still sneezing from the blow on the end of his nose and
obviously in a nasty temper.

[Illustration: Long Brown moved just in time.]

The poker party went out at the front just as Old Brin came in at the
back, and Long Brown thoughtfully took the front pole with him, letting
the canvas down over the bear and impeding pursuit. The lamps were
broken in the fall, and the oil blazed up under the canvas. Col.
Orndorff, Mr. Stewart, Bill Gibson, Doughnut Bill and the cook, Noisy
Smith, climbed trees before taking time to see how matters were getting
arranged in the tent, and Long Brown stopped at the brink of the pool
and turned around to see if the bear was following him.

There was complicated trouble in the tent. The bear had tangled
himself in the canvas and was blindly tossing it about, rolling himself
up