“Her dead mos’ two day—babies no get milk to eat,” said Tally, after examining the teats and body of the bear.
“Mebbe we coax home wid eats,” suggested he, as he glanced from mother to cubs and back again.
“Tally, I brought some candy in my pocket,” said Anne, instantly producing the sweets.
“Bear like sugar. Us lead cubs easy wid dis.”
“Tally, how can we keep this dead bear so we can have her skin, too,” now asked Julie, anxiously.
“Oh, if we could only ship home such a magnificent bear pelt, wouldn’t we be proud!” sighed Joan.
“Kin skin and bury ’um now. Come back mornin’ an’ carry to camp. Got han’ full wid two cub to-day,” grinned the Indian.
“Oh, if you boys would skin it and save it for us!” sighed several eager scouts.
So the guides sharpened their great knives that they always carried in their belts, and began work on the dead bear. The girls would have fainted at such a sight a year before, but now they stood by without a quiver and watched the Indians skin the animal.
The pelt was soon stripped from the carcass, and the former was buried deep under the log, while the latter was left for the wolves, or other animals. While Tally finished this work the scouts gathered berries to feed to the starved cubs. The latter were so famished that they eagerly ate everything given them.