ly I do," replied the bear-catcher; "an' why not, stranger?"

"Because I should have thought it impossible."

"Nothin''s impossible," replied the man, quietly.

"But how do you manage it?"

Instead of replying, the Yankee inquired if "the strangers" would stay
over next forenoon with them.

"With much pleasure," answered Ned, not a little amused at the
invitation, as well as the man's _brusque_ manner.

"Well, then," continued the bear-catcher, shaking the ashes out of his
pipe, and putting it into his hat, "I'll let ye see how we do it in the
mornin'. Good-night."

So saying, he drew his blanket over his head and resigned himself to
sleep, an example which was speedily followed by the whole party.

CHAPTER TWENTY.

GRIZZLY-BEAR-CATCHING IN THE MOUNTAINS--NED AND TOM DINE IN THE MIDST OF
ROMANTIC SCENERY, AND HOLD SAGACIOUS CONVERSE--THE STRANGE DEVICES OF
WOODPECKERS.

Just as day began to peep on the following morning, the camp was roused
by one of the bear-catchers, a Mexican, who had been away to visit the
bear-trap during the night, and now came rushing in among the sleepers,
shouting--

"Hoor-roo! boy, him cotch, him cotch! big as twinty mans! fact!"

At first Ned thought the camp was attacked by savages, and he and Tom
sprang to their feet and grasped their rifles, while they sought to rub
their eyes open hastily. A glance at the other members of the camp,
however, shewed that they were unnecessarily alarmed. Croft leisurely
stretched his limbs, and then gathered himself slowly into a sitting
posture, while the others arose with various degrees of reluctance.

"Bin long in?" inquired Croft.

"No, jist cotched," answered the Mexican, who sat down, lit his pipe,
and smoked violently, to relieve his impatient feelings.

"Big 'un?" inquired Croft, again.

To this the Mexican answered by rolling his eyes and exclaiming "Hoh!"
with a degree of vigour that left his hearers to imagine anything they
pleased, and then settle it in their minds that the thing so imagined
was out of all sight short of the mark.

The excitement of the man at last fully roused the sleepy crew, and
Croft sprang up with the agility of a cat.

"Ho! boys," he cried, proceeding to buckle his garments round him, "up
with you. Ketch the hosses, an' put to. Look alive, will you? grease
your jints, _do_. Now, strangers, I'll shew you how we ketch a bar in
this lo-cation; bring yer rules, for sometimes he breaks his trap,