The first breath of the oncoming storm stirred the
trees, and we felt a piercing chill in the air. Then fine "spits" of
snow began to fall.

"It's coming," Addison said; "but I guess we can get up to camp. We can
follow the trail if it does storm."

At the touch of the snow, the coats of the horses ruffled up, and they
stepped sluggishly. Asa had to chirrup constantly to the six ahead, and
those behind lagged at their halters. The storm increased and we got on
slowly. By four o'clock it had grown dark.

Suddenly the horses pricked their ears uneasily, and one of them
snorted. We were ascending a rocky, wooded valley between Saddleback
Mountain and the White Birch Hills. The horses continued to show signs
of uneasiness, and presently sounds of a tremendous commotion came from
the side of the hills a little way ahead. It sounded as if a terrific
fight between wild animals was in progress. The horses had stopped
short, snorting.

"What's broke loose?" Addison exclaimed. "Must be bears."

"Uh-huh!" old Tommy assented. "Tham's b'ars. Sounds like as if one b'ar
had come along to another b'ar's den and was tryin' to git in and drive
tother one out. B'ars is dennin' to-night, and tham as has put off
lookin' up a den till now is runnin' round in a hurry to get in
somewhars out of the snow.

"A b'ar's allus ugly when he's out late, lookin' for a den," the old
trapper went on. "A b'ar hates snow on his toes. Only time of year when
I'm afraid of a b'ar is when he is jest out of his den in the spring,
and when he's huntin' fer a den in a snowstorm."

Addison and I were crying, "Whoa!" and trying to hold those ten horses.
Asa was similarly engaged with his six on the scoot. Every instant, too,
the sounds were coming nearer, and a moment later two large animals
appeared ahead of us in the stormy obscurity. One was chasing the other,
and was striking him with his paw; their snarls and roars were terrific.

We caught only a glimpse of them. Then all sixteen of the horses bolted
at once. Asa could not hold his six. They whirled off the trail and ran
down among the trees toward a brook that we could hear brawling in the
bed of the ravine. They took the scoot with them, and in wild confusion
our ten led horses followed madly after them. Bags, harnesses, axes, and
shovels flew off the scoot. Halters crossed and crisscrossed. I was
pulled off the load, and came near being trodden on by the horses
behind. I could not see what had bec