Evening capital. (Annapolis, Md.) 1884-1910, 1891-10-24

game. Then we went to bed. The other
boys soon fell asleep, but it was a long
time before followed their example.
don't know how long had slept be-
fore was suddenly awakened. l knew
it must have been by some noise, for
with my first conscious moment / was
sitting bolt upright
For few seconds all was still Then
heard a cracking of branches and pres
entity the sound of boulder rolling down
the bank. It's splash into the water
awakened the others
"What is it?" whispered Jack, creep
inc close to my side.
"Sh-I don't know, said. "A deer,
suppose, coming to water"
Lets get our guns ready" said Phil.
Don't make a bit of noise" l eau
toned.
There was more cracking and scram-
bling among the stones. With trembling
hands | raised the tent cloth far enough
to peep out.
There was no moon, and the starlight
which struggled down through the trees
was dim and misty, so that / could OBJ
tain but an indistinct view of what was
going on outside. could only make out
moving object among the bushes. work
ing its way toward the rock on which
Phil had left his squirrel and its skin.
AT length reaching it, it seemed to
arise on its hind legs, but could discern
nothing more than a huge black object
with clumsy and unwieldly movements,
even to my inexperienced eyes far diff
ferent from the graceful form of the deer
had hoped to see.
What was it? Could it have been
drawn here by the smell of the squirrel.
If so, it would be surely turning its atten.
tion further before long.
what shall we do?" said Phil in
breathless whisper at my side.
Then came over me the full extent of
my willfulness and foolhardiness in hav.
ing led these boys Of 10 and 13, but
year or two older, out from the care
placed over US by our father What
were we TO do, indeed? l had often
dreamed Of the time when / should stand
bravely up and shoot large game, but il
had been by daylight, not in this fearful
darkness in which dozen more wild
animals, for all knew, might be prowl.
ing around usl
Something must be done. Jack held
on to me as l approached the opening OF
the tent, imploring me not to go out,
but l ordered him to keep down and,
with Phil, to see that their rifles were
ready for use. Then / stood in the door.
way and fired in hit or miss fashion, for
could not distinguish the black object
from the thick bushes.
A snorting, snarling growl came in
answer, striking new terror to my heart.
An enraged wounded animal might rush
at the tent. In desperate haste l fred
again and still again as the boys with
trembling hands passed me their rifles.
1t seemed an age to me, but could have
kHen but a few seconds when our foe
seemed to roll over. tearing at bushes and
stones, then to scramble to his feet and
with angry grunts hurry away / could
hear his uncouth sounds and heavy move
ments far away in the still night.
made the boys lie down and sat il
the tent door the remainder of the night.
liest beams of the morning awoke them
and set them to work getting breakfast
Neither of them expressed any surprise
IS they saw me beginning to take down
the tent, but gave active help in again
packing our stuff into the canoes.
Say, said Phil, as several hours la.
ter we came In sight of the half breeds
hut, "there's no need of saying anything
about our caper to anybody. That old
half Indian never says three words at a
time, and Dan needn't know we've been
away"
We all agreed to his suggestion. Dan
came rather late in the day, and favored
our proposition to remain where we were
until the next morning. Then, to ouI
great relief, he did not go up the stream,
but selected spot for our camp on the
border of the lake few miles from the
half breeds dwelling.
One day very soon afterward Dan led
me a long tramp through the thick
woods, coming out at length at the very
spot where we had camped that night.
Even with the July sun beaming upon it
my head swan a little as / recalled the
terrors of that night, while my heart
swelled with thankfulness that my two
young brothers had escaped the threaten.
ing danger. Not word did say to Dan
as l trod over the familiar ground.
He began carefully following track
made evidently by clumsy, heavy feet.
Broken bushes, torn herbage, and spota
Of dried blood marked it, and as fol-
lowed the hunter around a rock he
stopped with an exclamation Of satisfac.
ton.
"Humphi thought we'd find him. ,
There lay an enormous black bear.
Very composedly Dan addressed himself
10 the skinning of it. AS he rolled the
skin into bundle and strapped it upon
his back he turned to me with a quizzi.
cal smile, saying:
You did that pretty well.
did what?" asked.
@Shot that fellow"
Then, to my amazement, he gave me
an exact account of all that had taken
place that night, but it was long time
before could persuade him to tell me
how he had learned it.
The half breed, on whose taciturnity
we had relied, had been left by our faith.
ful old caretaker with strict iniunctions
not to lose sight of us young madcaps.
He had followed us at distance in his
canoe. and at night, wrapped in his
blanket, had slept in it not 20 yards from