. That was what gave him the
miserable idea, I suppose. Anyway, he did it while the rest of us were
out in the brush hunting for the fellow who threw those rocks into our
camp," declared Bluff, scowling at the author of his woes.

Jerry laughed, a little forcedly it is true.

"I suppose I might as well own up, Bluff. I'm the guilty wretch, all
right. The temptation came to me, and I did the job without thinking what
it would mean to you. Honestly I've felt sore about it more than once
since, and had just about made up my mind to confess, when by some
accident, it seems, you found it. But you don't know it all. I hid the
gun and then, when I went to see if it was safe, it was gone. I didn't
know what to make of that, but fancied somebody else in camp had taken
it. Then I commenced a search, and I found the gun down near that hole. I
rather think some of the Lasher crowd came and took the gun, but I am not
sure. After I found the gun I brought it to camp and put it in the box
again. I take back some of the hard things I've been saying about that
weapon. She can shoot, all right, and in the hands of an expert might,
as I said, clean out all the game going."

"Frank told me to take another look around, just before you fellows
left camp. I didn't have the heart to until a little while back, and
was delighted to find the gun under those pieces of canvas in the box.
It wasn't wet a bit in that hot old storm we had, either," continued
Bluff again, as be contemplated his quarry, and then puffed out with
honest pride.

"Say, was it you shooting a little while back?" asked Will, just then;
"because we heard a lot of shots somewhere around."

"Why, yes, I got Uncle Toby to stand behind a tree, and throw up the wash
basin half a dozen times while I banged away."

"Yes," said Frank, picking up the article in question, "and to judge from
the holes you put through it we'll have to do without a basin during the
remainder of our stay in camp. But how do you suppose this bear wandered
into camp?"

"Reckons dat he jest smells de cawn, Marse Frank, w'en I opens up de can,
an' by gorry, dat b'ar he can't resist de temptations to hab some. I seen
him comin' foh me, an' I jest lets out a yell an' runs up dis yer safety
ladder," remarked Toby, as he patted the article in question
affectionately.

"We heard the yells, all right, and came running. Look here, Bluff, old
man, you got your bear in spite of my playing that mean trick on you;