along."

He descended slowly, and stood before us shaking the grey moss and dead
fir-needles from his blue cotton garment.

"Big blown beace," he said. "Quong see him. Velly frighten."

He followed us to where the pack lay, slung it over his shoulder, and we
once more tramped on, till a suitable spot was found for our camp--a
regular niche in the side of the valley, with a small pine spreading its
boughs overhead for shelter.

Here, in spite of the risk of bears, we decided to halt for the night,
and a good fire was soon blazing; and as if regularly engaged as our
servant, Quong set to work at once, and soon prepared our tea-supper,
which was discussed as enjoyably as if we were in good quarters; and
that night passed away as I lay rolled up in my blanket, just as if I
closed my eyes in the darkness and opened them directly to see the warm
glow of the sun lighting up the east, and Quong busy baking cakes in the
embers, the tea-kettle steaming away close at hand.

The weariness and low spirits had passed away with the darkness, and
after a splash in the stream close by, I felt ready for any amount of
journeying.

As I came back from the stream I met Gunson coming towards me.

"Did you see anything?" he said, quietly.

"See anything? Only a squirrel."

"Look down there."

He gave his head a nod a little to the left, and I followed the
direction of his eyes.

"Don't start; don't run," he said, quietly. "If the Chinaman knows of
it he will make a stampede into the forest, and we shall lose him."

"But perhaps there is one close by," I said, nervously.

"Very likely; for there have been two promenading backwards and forwards
about us all night. Look at their marks. These prints are a little
smaller than those."

I had not noticed it till he pointed to the fact, and then I saw the
foot-marks of two bears plainly enough.

"I'm beginning to think," continued Gunson, "that we have selected their
lair for our camp; but as they have not interfered with us, I don't
think they will if we leave them alone."

"But I can't eat my breakfast with those things about," I said.

"You have never tried yet, my lad. Try now. I will have the rifle and
revolver ready to hand; but take not the slightest notice, and behave as
if nothing was wrong."

"But--"

"Come, Gordon, I thought better of you," he said, smiling. "Where is
your courage?"

"Come along," I said, making an effort to master the feeling of dread