had been
down to the "settlement" and brought up a quantity of bread to go with
our honey; and I was glad to see that he hadn't forgotten the gun;
for, as night began to close in again, I couldn't help remembering the
great tracks out there in the snow-drift. As it grew dark and the fire
began to shine on the green boughs, our scenery looked even better
than by daylight; and for beacons to our incoming guests, we fixed
torches of pitch-wood upon stakes thrust into the snow around our
camp, and at several points out in the woods, like lamp-posts in a
town.

"Quite a show," said Sam, surveying the preparation. "How changed and
odd it makes it look all about!"

Ere long voices began to be heard coming up through the woods,--merry
shouts and hails,--to which the boys responded, bidding them hurry,
and promising a big "sheep-skin" to the one who first got up there.

A chorus of merry cries and laughter followed this announcement; and
in a few moments a racing, panting crowd of a dozen boys and girls
came up in sight, and poured under the arch--sturdy lads, and lasses
in red frocks and checked aprons. And here be it said that a girl--a
certain rosy Nell Ridley--won the sheep-skin by being the first under
the archway. But the others were not far behind, and in another moment
our green arena was swarming with the young folks.

Though a stranger, I soon found myself acquainted and on the best of
terms with everybody. Sheep-skins were now being run by the dozen, the
process being to pour hot sirup upon the cold, hard-pressed snow in
the buckets, where it instantly cooled, becoming tough and of the
color of sheep-skin. And if one has a "sweet tooth," nothing among all
the "sugars" can compare with a maple sheep-skin.

We all had _sweet teeth_ there, and were in the midst of a furious
romp around the kettles in chase of Nell, whom some one had accused of
appropriating "the great one," when somebody suddenly cried,--

"Hark!"

There was an instant hush; when clear on the evening air there came a
wild cry--a long, quavering "Hoo-oo-oo."

"Bear! A bear!" exclaimed several of the boys, to whom bruin's nightly
cries were but familiar sounds. But save that a few of the girls
looked a little startled, no one seemed to be much alarmed. I saw Zeke
looking to the priming of the old gun, though; and for a while we were
pretty whist, listening; but the cry, which had seemed at a
considerable distance, was not repeated. Indeed, in the