As he made his way back to the shore, he noticed that the sun was high
in the heavens. Raven Wing by this time must be wondering what had kept
him away for so long a time. Quickening his steps into a run, he soon
came to their beached canoes. A fire which had been kindled on the sand
had burned down to a heap of dead ashes. He looked about for Raven Wing.
He was nowhere in sight.

[Illustration: {Bear.}]

CHAPTER VIII

THE PELT IS REMOVED

Hawk Eye set the package of bear meat in one of the canoes and again
looked about. Noticing that his gun had been taken from the canoe in
which he had left it, he concluded that Raven Wing had grown tired of
waiting for him to return.

Not having tasted food since the previous evening, he took out some
pemmican and commenced to eat. His appetite somewhat satisfied, he stood
up and again looked about him.

"I may as well go back and skin the bear. Raven Wing may not return for
some little time," he thought. The morning had already slipped away and
by the time the bear's pelt could be removed he realized that the sun
would be low in the sky. So he set off without delay, stopping only at
a tiny spring for a cool drink.

[Illustration: {Brave hunting.}]

On nearing the spot where he had first encountered the bear, his ears
caught the sound of some one treading softly. As he slipped behind a
tree trunk and fitted an arrow to his bowstring, he heard Raven Wing's
voice calling.

"Thought at first you might be the mate of the bear I killed a while
ago," cried Hawk Eye, coming out into the open.

"What! You say you have slain a bear?" exclaimed Raven Wing, dropping a
couple of prairie chickens which he had shot.

"Come, I will show you my kill," answered Hawk Eye.

"I was following your trail from the hillside when I caught sight of you
at the edge of the timber," explained Raven Wing. "From what I now see
of the trail I should judge you were being chased by the bear."

"I was," admitted Hawk Eye, with a grin. "But it was no laughing matter
at the time, as you will soon see for yourself."

Presently they came to the rocky, flat open space. As Raven Wing
advanced and caught sight of the animal's huge form lying close to the
base of the giant boulder, he uttered a cry of amazement.

"What a bear!" he cried. "But look! Someone has already removed the
claws."

"They are safe in my doeskin pouch," answered Hawk Eye. "I wished to
make sure of a necklace of bear claws