The Coolidge examiner., 1938-12-01

and the dogs alive, but they needed
rawhide for snowshoes and skins
for clothing.
On the next day, they made last
hunt into the barrens. At fold in
the tundra where scrub spruce,
deer bush and berry heath had
made a stand against the fierce
winds of winter, Napayo suddenly
stopped and pointed. Three crossed
poles marked where a deer skin tent
had once stood. A spruce twig, an
Indian date record, hung at the in
tersection of the poles. Napayo and
Noel studied the dried twig then
Noel reported to Alan who held the
dogs on thong leashes:
Deer hunter camp here many
sleeps-a moon ago"
They were Fort Chino hunters"
explained Napayo in his native
tongue. They came across from
the Quiet Water. But there are no
bones here. They missed the deer
passing north"
And we may miss them passing
south! Then what, Noel?"
DE COLE cen dose bag do US no
good den. We freeze widout plen-
tee deer skin and meat"
Attracted by the moving shapes
below, an eagle circled above them.
IF we could strike bear or two. it
would be something to take back to
camp" lamented Alan, disheart-
ened He swept the barren with his
glasses. Suddenly he stiffened, in
terested. The others intently
watched his face. Presently he said,
I'm sure l saw a bear on the sky
line. He went down into that little
valley over there. Wen circle and
work up wind along the other side
Of that hill"
The dogs whom Alan had care
fully trained to silence when on
leash thongs, were taken with them.
Cautiously, behind the protection Of
the ridge, the three men with the
silent but excited dogs approached
the hill above the swale where Alan
had seen the bear Leaving Noel
and Napayo with the huskies. Alan
worked along taking cover behind
boulders and rises in the ground
until he commanded a view Of the
little valley.
Two hundred yards beyond him,
feeding on the ripening berries, was
a large. barren-ground bear. Here
was the meat they so badly needed.
He began to stalk for a closer shot,
for bear will carry much lead. At
fifty yards he fired at the shaggy,
black shoulder in the heath and
ground juniper.
With below Of rage the bear
turned. bit savagely at his side. then
started to run. Again the whip-lash
explosion of the 30-30 walked the
tundra. The shot went true to its
mark. The bear stumbled. slid into
the berry heath and lay still.
1.-TWO hundred pounds Of meat on
him!" cried the hunter as he hur-
ried to the black bulk that lay in
the swale. There come the dogs!"
Alan had laid his rifle to one side
and was starting to draw his skin
ming knife when a trampling in his
rear swung him around.
Red lips barring yellow tusks,
small pig-like eyes flaming, rag
ing black hulk hurled itself at the
startled hunter With a leap. Alan
cleared the dead bear and started
up the swale, the black hurricane
of fury hard on his heels. His only
chance was to keep away from
those scimiter-like claws.
Suddenly the bear stopped and
struck savagely at something in its
rear while Alan put yards between
himself and the believing brute.
AS the runner circled back to reach
his gun, the bear plunged after him.
Again long tusks tore at the beasts
hams and he stopped and pivoted to
slash at the enemy in his rear, who
leaped away out of reach.
Then the puppies reached Rough.