“Maybe they were the men we heard yelling last night,” suggested Nat.
“Yes, and maybe they have a trained bear, that goes around stealing meat for them,” added Sam with a laugh.
“Don’t get such crazy ideas,” objected Nat.
“Well, that might happen,” went on Sam. “Almost anything is likely to happen in this queer country. I wonder what we’d better do about it?”
“I know what I’m going to do,” said Jack.
“What?”
“I’m going to trail that bear. He’s left plenty of marks, and maybe I can get a shot at him. I owe him something for taking my meat, and he’ll make a good substitute.”
“That’s the way to talk,” cried Bony. “I’m with you, Jack.”
The marks of the bear’s paws were plainly visible for some distance, leading off to the right, and up the sloping side of a mountain. As for the footprints of the man or men, they were soon lost to sight. But the boys decided to trail the bear. They lost the marks after about a mile, but arguing that the beast would make nearly a straight line for his den, after he had the meat, the young hunters laid their course as well as they could by compass and kept on.