disposed of, Paul busied himself
with his camera, for he had several things to fix before it would be
ready to serve as a trap to catch the picture of Bruin in the act of
stealing the honey bait.

Jud fondled his shotgun, having thoughtfully replaced the bird shells
with a couple of shells containing buckshot that he had brought along
in the hope of getting a deer.

"No telling what we may run across when trapsing through the woods
with a lantern after nightfall," he explained to Phil Towns, who was
watching his operation with mild interest, not being a hunter
himself.

"What would you do if you came face to face with the bear, or perhaps
a panther?" asked Phil. "Tolly Tip said he saw one of the big cats
last winter."

"Well, now, that's hardly a fair question," laughed Jud. "I'm too
modest a fellow to go around blowing my own horn; but the chances are
I wouldn't _run_. And if both barrels of my gun went off the plagued
beast might stand in the way of getting hurt. Figure that out if you
can, Phil."

After a little while Paul arose to his feet and proceeded to light the
lantern they had provided for the outing.

"I'm ready if you are, Jud," he remarked, and shortly afterwards the
two left the cabin, Tolly Tip once more repeating the plain
directions, so that there need be no fear that the boys would get
lost in the snowy woods.

Paul was too wise a woodsman to be careless, and he took Jud directly
to the spot which the bear had visited the preceding night.

"Don't see anything of the creature around, do you?" asked Jud,
nervously handling his gun as he spoke.

"Not a sign as yet," replied Paul. "But the chances are he'll remember
the treat he found here last night, and come trotting along before
many hours. That's what Tolly Tip told me, and he ought to know."

"Strikes me a bear is a pretty simple sort of an animal after all,"
chuckled Jud. "He must think that honey rains down somehow, and never
questions but that he'll find more where the first comb lay. Tell me
what to do, Paul, and I'll be only too glad to help you."

The camera was presently fixed just where Paul had decided on his
previous visit would be the best place. Long experience had taught the
lad just how to arrange it so that the animal of which he wished to
get a flashlight picture would be compelled to approach along a
certain avenue.

When it attempted to take the bait the cord would be pulled, and the
cartridge exploded, producing the