CHAPTER XIV
HOME COMING IN THE SNOW
“Good, that shot finished him,” cried Washington, as both he and Dave hastened to reload their weapons. “What a fine specimen he is!”
“He’s the biggest black bear I’ve seen,” answered Dave. “His pelt will be worth some money.”
“You shall have it, David. I think, all told, you richly deserve it.”
“I don’t see how?”
“I do. But come, let us look around and learn if there are any more bears here.”
A half hour was spent in the vicinity of the rocks, but no other bears appeared, nor did they see any new tracks. At last they concluded that the dead animal must have been alone, and began to speculate upon what should be done with the carcass.
“It’s too heavy to drag back to camp,” said Washington. “And if we leave it here, the wolves will make short work of it.”
“Then why not skin the beast and cut out such of the meat as we can use? We can put the meat in the hide and drag that home with ease, on a cedar bough.”
This was sensible advice on Dave’s part, and soon they were at work with the hunting knives they had brought along. Dave had imagined that the surveyor would know little or nothing about skinning the animal, but in this he was mistaken, for Washington had been on many a hunt before, with Lord Fairfax, as previously mentioned.