r than to go out
in such rough weather again."

"To be sure I shall," said John; "I don't _want_ to go down the rapids."

"Well, I'm glad to hear you say that," replied Mrs Campbell.

Captain Sinclair remained with them that night. Before daylight, the
family were alarmed by the report of a gun, and it was immediately
supposed that some attack had been made on the lodge occupied by
Malachi, Martin, and his wife. Captain Sinclair, Alfred, Henry, and
John sprang out of bed, and were clothed in a minute. As soon as they
had armed themselves, they opened the door cautiously, and, looking well
round, went through the passage to the sheep-fold where the lodge was
built. Everything, however, appeared to be quiet, and Alfred knocked at
the door. Malachi answered to the inquiry, "What is the matter?"

"We heard the report of a gun close to the house just now, and we
thought something might have happened."

"Oh!" cried Malachi, laughing, "is that all? Then you may all go to bed
again. It's my trap for the bear--nothing more. I forgot to tell you
last night."

"Well, as we are up, we may as well go and see," said Alfred. "The day
is breaking."

"Well, sir, I am ready," said Malachi, coming out with his deer-skin
jacket in one hand and his rifle in the other.

They walked to the maize-field on the other side of the river, and found
that the trap had been successful, for a large bear lay dead at the foot
of the snake-fence.

"Yes, sir, I've got him," said Malachi. "But what was the trap," said
Henry. "You see, sir, I tracked the brute over the rails by his broad
foot-mark, and as I knew he would come the same way, I fixed the rifle
with a wire to the trigger, so that, as he climbed up, he must touch the
wire with his fore-paws, and the muzzle, pointed a little downwards,
would then about reach his heart when the gun went off. You see, sir,
it has happened just as I wished it, and there's another good skin for
Montreal."

"It is a she-bear," said Martin, who had joined them, "and she has cubs;
they can't be far off."

"That's true," replied Malachi; "so now you had better all go back
again. Martin and I will hide, and I'll answer for it, in an hour, we
will bring the cubs home with us."

The rest of the party returned to the house. The Strawberry had already
made known to Mr and Mrs Campbell the cause of the report. About an
hour before breakfast, Malachi and Martin came in, each with a cub of a
few wee