t's what we've got to do now, and
it's no easy job either."

"We'll all help," said Rob.

"Well, you'd better go and help by finding some sort of rock for a
whetstone," said Alex, "for I see I have left my file down in camp.
There's nothing in the world takes the edge off the best steel like
skinning a big bear--the hide is like sandpaper inside."

"Here's something," said Jesse, picking up a flat stone, "and maybe we
can sharpen the knives on it."

They all fell to work now, each with his own hunting-knife. Alex, of
course, did most of the work, first ripping down the tough hide with
his big buffalo knife, along each leg and up the middle of the body.
Then giving each of the boys a leg, and himself keeping clear of the
eager knife blades, they all began the work of skinning off the hide.

"Skin it close," said Alex, "and don't leave on much meat. The Injuns
never skin a bear hide close, for the women like the fat, it seems,
and they do all the scraping in camp. But this hide is so big that I'm
not anxious to carry any more weight on it than I have to--I should
not wonder if it would weigh seventy-five to a hundred pounds, the
best we can do."

At last, however, they had the great hide free from the carcass, with
the footpads and long claws attached, and the scalp all skinned
carefully free from the skull at eyes, ears, and nose. Rob insisted on
taking the skull also, although Alex demurred.

"We'll carry it, Alex," said he. "This is a splendid robe, I'm
telling you, fine color, and not worn nearly as badly as I should have
expected in the summer-time. We're going to have a rug made out of it
for Uncle Dick's house, and we want the skull, too. We'll carry that
down the hill."

"All right," said Alex; "I'll have plenty to do with the rest of this
old fellow."

He rolled the green hide into a pack, which he lashed tightly with
some thongs, and once more using his belt as a pack-strap, which he
rested on the top of his head, he managed to get under the weight of
the green hide, and started off at a half trot, following the nearest
valley down to the river where their camp was pitched.

Strong as the old hunter was, at times even he was willing enough to
set down his pack and rest awhile, and to smoke a pipe. The boys, who
were carrying his rifle and also making shifts at carrying the heavy
bear skull, themselves were willing enough to join him when he
stopped. At last, however, they got to the top of the bank