night, I threw some fresh wood
on the fire, which, crushing down upon the hot embers, sent up a
scintillating shower of sparks that ran a mad race in and out of the
greenery. I saw that the horses were all right, I put my gun handy, and
then I gave myself up to sleep.

I do not know how long I had slept, but I was conscious of being
bothered, and could not rouse myself at once. I dreamed that a bear was
sniffing at me, but instead of being the least surprised or frightened,
I said to myself in my dream, as if it was quite a common occurrence,
"That's the bear again, he always comes when I am asleep." The next
moment, however, I was very effectually awakened by a tug that half
lifted me off the ground. I must mention that I had tied my horse's
halter to my waist-belt in case of any alarm in the night, for I sleep
so soundly always that no ordinary noise or movement ever wakes me. I
sprang up of course, calling the Wallack at the same time. Something had
frightened the horses, and they had attempted to bolt. We found them
trembling from head to foot, but we could not discover the cause of
their fright. I fired off my revolver twice; the Wallack in the meantime
had lighted a bundle of resinous fir branches as a torch. He had
carefully arranged it before he slept; it is a capital thing, as it
gives a good light on an emergency.

After making an examination of the place all round, and finding nothing,
we made up a bright fire, and again laid ourselves down to rest. I had
my saddle for a pillow, and it was not half bad. Before giving myself
over to sleep I listened and listened again, but I heard nothing except
the hooting of the owls answering each other in the distance. The night
had grown very cold, and a heavy dew was falling, but notwithstanding
these discomforts I had another good nap.

Next morning, after a hearty breakfast, we were off early. Instead of
going uphill again to recover our former route, we followed the stream,
which gradually increased in size, and we came at last to a place where
a dam had been thrown across the valley with the object of floating the
wood cut in the forest. This small lake was very pretty; the water was
as clear as crystal. Farther on we came upon another dam of larger
dimensions; but though it had evidently been quite recently constructed,
there was no one about, and no signs of wood-cutting. Here we began to
ascend again, and about mid-day got to a place called La Durs, a
customhou