ed off by the shooting, I expect, or else by getting a
sniff of the b'ar's wound."

"Would they go far?" asked the doctor.

"Can't say, sir, but not so far that we can't follow them by their
trail."

"It's a great nuisance, just when we had decided to make an early start
in the morning. Now everything depends upon our finding the animals and
bringing them back."

There was of course no more sleep that night, neither, much as it was
expected, was there any return of the visitor of the night during the
long hours of the watch.

But the morning broke at last, and as soon as it was light enough the
party began to follow the trail of the bear, starting from the spot
where Bourne had his alarming adventure, the traces of which were plain
enough, the earth and growth being torn up by the brute's claws. From
there the spots of blood which had fallen from the bear's wound were
plain enough at intervals, and they were followed for about a quarter of
a mile, where the animal had plunged into the dense forest, where the
trees and undergrowth presented a front that could not be penetrated by
a human being, though comparatively easy for a quadruped.

Further pursuit was given up, and the party returned to follow up the
trail of the ponies and mules.

This was found at once, the animals, obeying their gregarious instinct,
having, after being alarmed, closed in together for mutual protection
and made off down the gully to the open country and the plains.

Griggs took the lead from old experience of such accidents, and pointed
out how the frightened beasts had galloped frantically for miles, then,
pretty well exhausted, subsided to a trot, which had been kept up for
several more before their progress became a walk, with halts here and
there for grazing. In fact, it was several hours before the poor brutes
were sighted right out on the salt plain, and when overtaken and headed
off on the return journey, not even a single mule seemed to make the
slightest objection, for they all closed up into a drove and walked
steadily back, every animal with roughened coat stiffened by dust and
ready to hang its head with the look of one which had done enough work
for one day.

It was not until the afternoon that the dreary tramp back brought the
party in sight of their last night's camp, and that was not reached
until close upon sundown, a long halt having been necessary to water the
weary beasts and let them graze.

"I don't think we'