ct to find it in the morning. The other animals will feast on
the carcass, and the skin won't be any good when they've got through
tearing it. If it were a deer we could hang it up out of reach. But we
couldn't even move this mountain, let alone lift it."

"Of course we can come back and get the teeth and claws, anyway," put in
Dick. "But I hate like thunder to lose the skin."

"I tell you what," suggested Bert. "Let's hustle around and get as many
big stones as we can find. We'll pile up a sort of funeral mound around
him that the animals can't work through or pull away. Then in the morning
we'll get some of the boys from the ranch to come up with us and get the
hide. It may not work, but I think it will, and, anyway, we've got to
take the chance."

Luckily for the carrying out of the plan, big stones abounded in the
vicinity and a few minutes of hard work sufficed to gather together
enough to make it probable that the body would remain undisturbed till
they came for it.

"And now, fellows," said Bert, gazing at the sun, "it's the quick sneak
for us if we want to get back to the ranch before dark. Forward, march."

With a last look at the scene of their thrilling experience, they boarded
the canoe, shot across the lake, and, packing up their traps, set out for
the ranch. They made quick time of it, as the road was now familiar and
led downhill all the way. Yet, despite their speed, dusk was settling
down when they reached the house, to receive a hearty greeting from their
hosts, who were becoming a little anxious at the delay.

Mrs. Melton paled as she heard the story of their frightful danger, and
Melton himself was deeply stirred at their narrow escape. He, better than
any one else, realized all the horror of the case had victory declared on
the side of the bear.

"You'll never be nearer death than you were to-day, my boys," he said
gravely; "and a kind of death that I don't care to think about. I'll send
Sandy and some of the men up to-morrow to get the skin, and I hope that
hide will be the nearest you ever come to seeing a grizzly again. You
came through all right to-day, but it's the kind of stunt a man doesn't
get way with twice. But now," he added more lightly, "I'll bet that
you're hungry enough to eat nails. Hurry up and wash and get down to the
table."

"By the way," said Mrs. Melton, her eyes twinkling, "where are those fish
you promised me for supper?"

The boys looked at each other in consternat