hat while we had had a pretty rough day of it he would
make it all up in getting the joke on Benson if I would not give him
away on shooting the bears, as Hill was to tell Benson all about how
he did it.

Before we came to camp I said to Hill that if he cared to we would
play a joke on Benson. He wished to know what the plan was. I said
that we would fix the bear up in the path that led from the shack to
the spring and get Benson to go after a pail of water and run onto
the bear. So we planned to have Benson think that we got no bear and
after supper was over I was to take the pail and start to the spring
after a pail of fresh water when Hill was to interfere and insist
that Benson should go for the water as he had been in camp all day
and needed exercise.

It was about a hundred feet from the shack to the spring and down
quite a steep bank and about half way from the shack to the spring
was a beech log across the path. When we got near camp we made no
noise and when we came to the spring we washed our hands carefully to
remove any blood that might be on them. Then we took the bear to the
log that was across the path and placed the forepaws and shoulders up
over the log leaving the hind parts on the ground, then with a small
crotched stick placed under the bear's throat to hold up its head we
had it fixed up to look as natural as we were able to in the dark.

We went into the shack looking as downcast as a motherless colt. It
was unnecessary to deny getting any bear for Benson told us almost
before we were inside that we should have known that we would get no
bear in any such weather as we were having and none but simpletons
would have gone out in such rain.

We ate our supper which Benson had waiting for us. We had little to
say farther than to talk of what a fearful rain we were having. After
supper was over I took the water pail, though it was nearly full of
water, and threw the water out the door before Benson had time to
object, saying that I would get a pail of fresh water. Hill said that
we should let Benson go after the water as he had not been out of the
shanty all day and needed some fresh air. Benson consented to go
after another pail of water although he said that he had brought the
water that we had thrown out just before we came. I told Benson that
I would hold the light at the door so he could see but Benson replied
that I need not bother, all that was necessary was to leave the door
of the shack ope