“Haven’t the faintest idea. Over in the next county, maybe; these fellows are powerful travelers.”
“Well, we’ll keep on till we find him, if we have to walk to the north pole,” laughed George.
“You bet,” said Ed.
They scraped the snow from the top of a flat rock and sat down to rest. While they sat there a flock of blue-jays discovered them and began scolding furiously. Ben explained that these noisy birds invariably discover woods travelers, either men or beasts, and by their incessant calling give notice of all advances through the wilderness. He warned the boys to be on the watch for game of some sort whenever they heard the blue-jays. After a time the birds departed, and the hunters rose and toiled laboriously up the ascent.
They found, when they reached the crest, that the trail turned to the left and continued along the top of a low divide. They also noticed that there were fewer blood spots beside it, and Ben said the wounds were not serious. Judging by the manner in which the animal was covering ground, the boys agreed with him. They had already followed its trail a long distance, and the end of the chase was apparently as far off as ever.
The drag of the snowshoes began to tire the lads, but neither would confess it even to himself. They were too anxious to win the coveted trophy ahead of them.
At length, after several more miles had been covered, the guide told the boys that he guessed they would be obliged to make good their boast regarding the north pole. He saw nothing to indicate any ending place this side of it. They laughed and asked him to lead the way; and he smiled, well pleased with their gameness.
By noon the trailers found themselves at the base of a high, granite-capped mountain. Ben decided to stop here for luncheon. He declared that he believed they would find the bear holed up among the ledges which extended along the towering summit above them. An icy stream tumbled noisily down the mountain-side, and beside it they kicked off their snowshoes and prepared to eat their midday meal.
The boys’ legs were stiff and sore from the unusual exercise, but the idea of being near their quarry, at last, kept them from becoming tired. When Ben had made a small fire and prepared some steaming coffee, they did ample justice to their luncheon.
The great gray ledges on the mountain top had a peculiar fascination for the young hunters. They were constantly looking at them. Somewhere up among the gloomy caverns was hidden the savage creature which they pursued. Several times they imagined they actually saw it moving clumsily about among the rocks. They were anxious to begin the long, slippery climb up the mountain. Eager and impatient, they began to fasten on their snowshoes before Ben had finished his after-dinner pipe.