"I reckon we shall have to live on spruce bark for the rest of our journey," averred Ned.
"We can't very well do that," answered Butler. "Let's go over the outfit and see what we really have left."
What they had was not enough to cut much figure in the face of the appetites of the Pony Rider Boys. A few of the canned things were untouched. There was coffee, though they had to scrape it up from the ground after it had been pawed over by the marauders, but the boys were glad enough to have the coffee even in such a condition. Tad said he guessed the bears had not made it unfit to drink.
Of course they had some provisions in their packs, left over from their trip into the mountains, but a careful inventory led them to the conclusion that, with the most rigid economy, they would be able to get along not longer than three days with what provisions they still had.
"I reckon I had better go out and kill another moose," decided Stacy Brown.
"You have done quite enough in that direction already," answered Tad. "We are fortunate if we don't get into trouble over that killing of yours."
"This is serious," spoke up the Professor. "What shall we do, Charlie?"
"Me kill deer," said the Indian.
"Deer are out of season. We don't want to do anything of that sort, except as a last resort," replied Butler. "We simply must have some more provisions."
"Send Stacy around to the corner grocery for a fresh supply," suggested Rector.