rtsman,
but he talked in quite an easy modest way of what he had done, and at
last I felt obliged to join in, telling of our adventures with the
bears, and asking if he had seen or shot any.

"Several," he said. "Many, I may say, but of course spread over a long
stay here. I can show you their heads and skins. I generally save
them. That man Michael Grey is a clever hunter, and an admirable
skin-dresser."

"Are the bears very dangerous?"

"Only under certain circumstances, my lad. There are several kinds
here, varying very little. I mean beginning with the smallest; he
strongly resembles the next larger, and he again the one larger still,
and so on, till we get up to the cinnamon, and from him to the great
grizzly, who is a fierce beast best avoided. As for the others, they
are stupid, inoffensive creatures, whose great aim in life is to get out
of man's way, and who will not interfere with him or fight if they are
left alone. Now then, what do you say to going on?"

"By all means," said Gunson; and we rose, to my regret, for I had
enjoyed the meal and rest, and the hunting narratives were delightful.

We were all ready for starting, and I shouldered one pack, Quong loading
himself up with the deer-meat, and our new friend and his follower
insisting upon helping to share our burden, while I noticed that Mike,
as he was called, kicked the burning embers about in all directions so
as to extinguish the fire.

"What is that for?" said our new companion, interpreting my looks; "that
is what every hunter or traveller should do. Never leave a fire. There
is abundance of wood--huge forests all about, but none that ought to be
destroyed. The pine-trees burn fiercely."

I nodded, for I knew.

"And, once a forest is set on fire, we never know where it may end."

We walked on, chatting about the beauty of the country, which every
minute grew more open; and I was listening full of interest, when Esau
gave my jacket a tug.

"I say, who is he?" came in a whisper.

"Don't know. Going to show us the way to the Fort."

"Is it much further?"

"Oh no," I whispered back; "only a mile or two."

"Thank goodness," murmured Esau; "I am getting so tired."

It proved to be only about a mile and a half, or, as I ought to call it
in that country of no roads and many climbs and descents, about
three-quarters of an hour's walk, before we came upon a wide, open spot,
dotted with trees like a park, through which the river