cabin, and
you're not wanted!"

All at once the beast concluded it would be wise for him to accept of
the one lone chance for escape. That open door, and the sweet smell of
the outside air appealed irresistibly to his nature.

"There he comes, boys!" snapped Ethan; and with that they all began to
make extravagant gestures, at the same time using threatening language
that must have appalled the poor bear, could he have understood its
meaning.

Snapping and growling he scuttled past the line of excited boys, headed
for the open door. He presented such a ferocious aspect that none of
them cared to do the slightest thing to bar his forward progress;
indeed, just the contrary seemed to be the case. Something must have
influenced Lub, for that worthy actually stepped forward out of line;
and as the beast shuffled hastily past he let drive with his right foot,
just for all the world as though he were trying for a drop kick on the
gridiron, with three thousand breathless spectators watching to see if
he would make the goal.

Then the bear, thus urged on by every possible means, went hastily
through the open door, and was seen no more. The cabin was once again in
their undisputed possession.

"Three cheers!" shouted X-Ray Tyson, who after the manner of boys in
general, was so completely filled with enthusiasm that he could only
think of one way in which to get rid of the surplus "steam," which was
by shouting.

The others joined in the noise, and if any one happened to be within a
mile of that birch bark cabin just then, before the break of day, he
must have been greatly mystified to understand what all the racket could
be about.

CHAPTER VII

ON THE BORDER OF THE LAKE

"Did you all see me kick him out?" proudly demanded Lub, who evidently
believed that by this action he had established his reputation for
bravery beyond all dispute.

"Sure, we did," declared Ethan, "and he must have been some surprised
bear when he felt your heft slam up against him. You'd better look out
if ever you meet up with that chap again, Lub; they say bears have got
wonderful memories, and he'll never forgive such an insult."

The door was fastened again, and the boys climbed into their blankets,
for the night air coming in had given them something of a chill.

"No need of trying to go to sleep again," announced Phil; "because
daylight'll be along in seven winks. Fact is, I thought it looked that
way in the east when I shut the