chance that we may meet Moise and
George there. They won't know where we are, unless they heard us
shooting."

Leo came up to them at about this time, and stood looking at Jesse's
bear for some time. "S'pose me get 'um two twenty dollar, now?" said
he, looking at Uncle Dick. The latter looked at him quizzically for a
time, rubbing his chin with a finger.

"Well, Leo," said he, "you're a pretty good business man as well as a
good grizzly-hunter. So you want to cash in on our bear, do you? All
right; I feel so good about it that I'll just go you--you shall have
twenty dollars a head for these bears--and sixty dollars in two days,
besides your wages, ought to leave you and your cousin George pretty
well satisfied, eh?"

"Yes, feel heap good," said Leo, grinning. "Buy plenty flour now.
Plenty grub on Fort George."

"You're no better satisfied than we are, my friend," rejoined the
white hunter. Leo extended his hand, and they shook hands all around.

"I'm willing to go on down the river now," said John; and Jesse smiled
his assent.

With some labor they squared the two hides into a portable pack, one
for each of the men, binding them into place with bits of thongs which
each carried at his belt. Then, using their belts as tump-straps, Leo
and Uncle Dick shouldered their heavy loads and started down the
mountain.

XXIII

ONWARD BOUND

They had gone down the valley only about half a mile, now and then
splashing through the shallow fords of the meandering little stream
which spread all over the flat, gravelly floor of the valley, when
they heard a shout and saw Moise advancing rapidly toward them. That
worthy came up smiling, as usual, and beginning to talk before he came
within good ear-range.

"Hollo!" he cried. "Some more bear? Plenty bear now, this tam?"

Uncle Dick halted and dropped his pack to the ground. "Welcome!
Moise," said he. "I don't know that I ever was gladder to see you in
my life--this load is heavy."

"I'll take heem," said Moise. "My faith, she's big bear, heem, too,
eh? Two beeg bear"--and he lifted also the other pack which Leo had
dropped down. "I hear you shoot when I come on the camp here, and I
say to myself, 'Moise, those boy he kill more bear, sure.' Bime-by I
come up, help you get load down the hill. George, he's make cup tea on
the camp; Rob, he's down below on the big camp, on the boat.

"Didn't I told you, Leo," continued Moise, exultantly, "those boy,
she's the most be