"See a bear—best way to kepe the ten commandments is to kepe yer mouth shet."
Strong resumed his chair at the camp-fire. Suddenly he raised his hand. They could hear the cracking of dead brush across the cove.
"S-suthin'," Strong whispered.
Again the sound came to their ears out of the silent forest.
"Hearn it d-dozen times," said the Emperor.
They listened a moment longer. Then Strong rose.
"B-bear!" he whispered. "Light an' rifle."
Master tiptoed to the shanty. He lighted the dark lantern—a relic of deer-stalking days—with which he had found his way to Catamount the night before. He adjusted the leathern helmet so its lantern rested 'above his forehead. He raised his rifle and opened the small box of light. A beam burst out of it and shot across the darkness and fell on a thicket. The spire of a little fir, some forty feet away, seemed to be bathed in sunlight. The beam glowed along the top of his rifle-barrel, and he stood a moment aiming to see if he could catch the sights.
Strong beckoned to him. The young man came close to the side of the hunter and suggested, "Maybe it's a deer."
"'T-'tain' no deer," Strong whispered. "S-suthin' dif'er'nt." He listened again. "It's over on th-that air cove."