“Skin the bear,” returned Andy. “Then I’m going back to Chikau and you can do what you please, but I should advise you to go to Bradley and get your outfit. With proper tools you can begin work on your homestead in earnest. You will only be wasting time trying to accomplish anything with what you brought from Peleg’s.”
The thought of being left alone in a place so wild that bears roamed it, sobered the young homesteaders instantly.
“Can’t you manage, somehow, to stay with us at least another day?” pleaded Ted, his eyes wandering unconsciously to where the huge fur-covered carcass lay.
“No, I can’t,” returned Andy, sharply. “You boys must start in on your own resources sometime, so the sooner the better.”
“But you know so much about everything. We can learn more from you in a day than by ourselves in a week,” flattered Phil.
“Now see here, none of that sort of talk.”
“But it’s true,” protested Ted.
“Perhaps it is. But I learned mostly by experience, and so must you. Did you expect to have some one do the work for you when you left home?”
“No,” chorused both boys, stung by his tone.
“Then why should you change your minds just because you found me and was good enough to take an interest in you and come over here with you?”