cherous upheavals caused
by undercurrents no longer harassed the gold seekers, but logs and
debris swept down with greater velocity. Several times the frail canoe
was saved from destruction only by the quick and united action of the
three. They worked now like a well-regulated machine, engineered by
Wabigoon, whose sharp eyes were always on the alert for danger ahead.
This second day was one of thrills and tense anxiety for Rod, and he
was glad when it came to an end. It was early, and the sun was still
two hours high, when they stopped to camp.

Mukoki had chosen an open space, backed by a poplar-covered rocky
ridge, and scarce had the bow of the canoe touched shore when Wabi
gave an excited exclamation, caught up his rifle, and fired three
rapid shots in the direction of a small clump of spruce near the foot
of the mountain.

"Missed, by all that's good and great!" he yelled. "Quick, Mukoki,
shove her in! There's the biggest bear I've seen in all my life!"

"Where?" demanded Rod. "Where is he?"

He dropped his paddle and snatched his own rifle, while Mukoki,
keeping his self-possession, brought the canoe so that Wabi could leap
ashore. Rod followed like a flash, and the two excited youths sped in
the direction of the bear, leaving their companion to care for himself
and the heavily-laden birch. A short, swift run brought them to the
edge of the spruce, and with hearts beating wildly the two scanned the
barren side of the mountain ahead of them. There was no sign of the
bear.

"He turned down-stream!" cried Wabi, "We must cut--"

"There he is," whispered Rod sharply.

Just beginning the ascent of the mountain, four or five hundred yards
below them, was the bear. Even at that distance Rod was amazed at the
size of the beast.

"What a monster!" he gasped.

"Blaze away!" urged Wabi. "It's four hundred yards if it's a foot! Aim
for the top of his back and you'll bring him!"

Suiting action to his words he fired the two remaining shots in
his rifle, and as he slipped in fresh cartridges Rod continued the
long-range fusillade. His first and second shots produced no effect.
At his third the running animal paused for a moment and looked down at
them, and the young Hunter seized his opportunity to take a careful
aim. At the report of his gun the bear gave a quick lunge forward,
half-fell among the rocks, and then was off again.

"You hit him!" shouted Wabi, setting off on a dead run between the
spruce and the mou