ing up after ourselves we saluted
the old peak with the Scouts' cheer, saying good-by to it; and then we
started down. We discovered that we could go around the bowlder-field,
as Apache had done. When we struck the snow-patch slope we obliqued over
to our trail up, and began to back track. Back-tracking was the safe
way, because we knew that this would bring us out. Down we went, with
long steps, almost flying, and leaving behind us the busy conies and the
tame ptarmigans, to inhabit the peak until we should come again. We
even tried not to tramp on the flowers. (Note 57.)

Through the maze of rock masses we threaded, and along the grassy ledge,
and entered the bush draw. By the sun it was noon, but we had plenty of
time, and we spread out in the draw, taking things easy and picking
berries. We didn't know but what we might come upon some grouse, in
here, too, for the trickle from that snow-bank drained through and there
was a bunch of aspens toward the bottom. But instead we came upon a
bear!

I heard Red Fox Scout Ward call, sharp and excited: "Look out, fellows!
Here's another bear!"

That stopped us short.

"Where?"

"Right in front of me! He's eating berries. And I see another,
too--sitting, looking at me."

"Wait!" called back Fitz, excited. "Let 'em alone. I'll get a picture."

That was just like Fitzpatrick. He wanted to take pictures of everything
alive.

"Yes; let 'em alone," warned Major Henry, shouting.

For that's all a bear in a berry-patch asks; to be let alone. He's
satisfied with the berries. In fact, all a bear asks, anyway, is to be
let alone, and up here on the mountain these bears weren't doing any
harm.

"Where are you?" called Fitz.

"On this rock."

Now we could see Scout Ward, with hand up; and over hustled Fitz, and
over we all hustled, from different directions.

They were not large bears. They looked like the little brown or black
bears, it was hard to tell which; but the small kind isn't dangerous.
They were across on the edge of a clearing, and were stripping the
bushes. Once in a while they would sit up and eye us, while slobbering
down the berries; then they would go to eating again.

Fitz had his camera unslung and taken down. He walked right out, toward
them, and snapped, but it wouldn't be a very good picture. They were too
far to show up plainly.

"I'll sneak around behind and drive them out," volunteered little Jed
Smith; and without waiting for orders he and Kit