CHAPTER XXIV
JACK GETS A BEAR
"Fellows," spoke Jack, and his voice trembled in spite of his efforts torender it steady, "we've got to get at the bottom of this."
"That's right," agreed Bony.
"Maybe Bill can tell us something," suggested Sam.
"Long Gun ought to know something about it. He's lived around here allhis life," said Budge, speaking plainly this time.
"Long Gun thinks it's spirits or something like that," remarked Jack."He's so scared he can't speak. But what about you, Bill? Are you sureyou heard it before?"
"Yes," replied the newcomer. "I heard that same noise about a week ago.I was in a lumber camp, to which I had worked my way, and one night,just about this time, we all heard that rushing sound in the air. Someof the men were frightened, but others said it was a flight of eagles orother big birds."
"That's what we thought it was, first," came from Nat. "But I don'tbelieve it now."
"Why not?" asked Bony. "It's the same sound."
"But did you hear some men speaking?" demanded Nat. "We didn't hear thatbefore."
"No, that's right," agreed Jack. "And the voices were quite plain, as ifthey were close at hand."
"Maybe they were chasing the peculiar creature, whatever it was,"suggested Sam.
"That might be it," Jack said.
"Let's give 'em a hail," put in Bony.
The boys thought this a good idea, and united their voices in a loudshout. After that they fired their rifles in a volley, but no answercame back.
"Either they don't hear us, or they don't want to answer us," commentedJack.
"Or else that big bird or beast, whatever it was they were chasing, haseaten them up," suggested Budge, preparing to stow away a fresh wad ofgum.
"Nonsense!" exclaimed Nat. "I don't believe it was a big bird."
"Waitansee," was all Budge said.
Though the boys discussed the matter for some time longer, they couldarrive at no satisfactory explanation. As for Long Gun, it was uselessto ask him his opinion of the mysterious noise. He cowered under hisblankets, murmured something about "bad spirits," and predicted thatevil would befall any one who sought to solve the secret.
The night was not disturbed by any further alarms, and they were all upbright and early the next morning, with fine appetites.
"The big bird, or whatever it was, didn't steal any of us," remarkedJack as he was washing for breakfast. "I hope it didn't steal the ram Ishot yesterday. We must go after that meat as soon as we havebreakfast."
Leaving Budge and Long Gun in camp, the others went to where Jack andNat had slain the ram. It was quite a long ride, and they took theirtime.
"Look here, Jack," called Nat, as, riding slightly in advance, he wasfirst to arrive at where the carcass had been tied in a tree."Something's been here at it. There's none of it left."
"Do you mean that?" cried Jack, riding up.
"Sure. You can see it's gone."
The boys dismounted and went closer to the tree. There was no doubt butthat the choice portions of the ram were gone. And at the foot of thetree the dirt was trampled down as if whatever it was that had stolenthe meat had been put to considerable trouble to get it.
"It was a bear that took it!" cried Sam.
"How do you know?" asked Jack.
"Look where he climbed the tree. The bark's torn off with his claws, andyou can see the marks of his paws in the soft dirt."
"That's right," agreed Nat. "Lopsided lollypops! but it must have been abig one, too! Look where the first marks of his claws begin," and hepointed to abrasions in the bark a good distance above the ground.
"Do bears eat meat?" asked Bony, cracking all his finger knucklesexcitedly.
"Sometimes, I believe," answered Jack. "Anyway, if the bear that stolemy ram didn't get it for himself he must have pulled it down for somefriends of his."
"What do you mean?" asked Nat.
"Here are the marks of footsteps," went on Jack, "and they aren't ours,either. Look, whoever made these had heavy boots with hobnails in them,made in the shape of an arrow."
He pointed to the ground. There, in addition to the paw-marks left bythe bear, were footprints, clearly to be seen, and it needed but aglance to show that they had not been made by any of the boys or LongGun.
"Some one--some men, that is--have been here since Nat and I were hereyesterday," went on Jack. "Either they or the bear took the ram."
"Maybe they were the men we heard yelling last night," suggested Nat.
"Yes, and maybe they have a trained bear, that goes around stealing meatfor them," added Sam with a laugh.
"Don't get such crazy ideas," objected Nat.
"Well, that might happen," went on Sam. "Almost anything is likely tohappen in this queer country. I wonder what we'd better do about it?"
"I know what I'm going to do," said Jack.
"What?"
"I'm going to trail that bear. He's left plenty of marks, and maybe Ican get a shot at him. I owe him something for taking my meat, and he'llmake a good substitute."
"That's the way to talk," cried Bony. "I'm with you, Jack."
The marks of the bear's paws were plainly visible for some distance,leading off to the right, and up the sloping side of a mountain. As forthe footprints of the man or men, they were soon lost to sight. But theboys decided to trail the bear. They lost the marks after about a mile,but arguing that the beast would make nearly a straight line for hisden, after he had the meat, the young hunters laid their course as wellas they could by compass and kept on.
They had to travel slowly, because the road was not very good for thehorses, and at noon they had not come up to bruin. Eating a light lunch,they kept on, and it was mid-afternoon when Jack, who was ahead,noticed that his horse suddenly stopped and began to shiver.
"Fellows," he cried, "we're near the bear. That's what ails the horse."
The other steeds began to exhibit signs of terror, so it was decided todismount and lead them back a short distance.
"I'll stay with the horses," volunteered Bony. "I--er--I don't exactlyfeel up to hunting bears to-day."
"You're not afraid, are you?" asked Sam.
"No, not exactly. You might call it--out of practice," and Bony begancracking his knuckles.
They tried to persuade him to go with them, but he would not, so Jack,Will, Nat and Sam went on. It did not take much searching to discover atrail leading farther up the side of the mountain, and following this alittle way they smelled the unmistakable odor of wild animals.
"His cave's near here," whispered Jack.
They came in sight of it a moment later, and then there was no doubt asto who had stolen part of the ram. For in front of a black opening inthe side of the big hill was a portion of the carcass.
"I wonder if he's in there?" said Jack.
"Maybe you'll wish he wasn't," commented Sam.
"I will not," was Jack's bold reply. "I'm going to get a shot at himnow."
"How are you going to get him out?"
"I'll show you."
Jack quickly made a torch of some dry bark, and lighting it, tossed itinto the mouth of the cave. Then he ran quickly back, and with his chumsstood waiting with ready rifle.
"We'd better separate a bit," said Nat. "If he comes out with a rush,and you miss him, Jack, we can take a crack at him."
This was voted good advice, and Sam, Will and Nat moved down the slope ashort distance, leaving Jack nearer the cave.
"I guess he isn't going to come out," called Jack to his chums. "He'sasleep, maybe. I'll try to wake him up."
He caught up a large stone, and tossed it into the cave. Hardly had hedone so than there sounded a series of angry growls, and with a loud"woof!" bruin appeared at the mouth of the cavern, his little eyesglistening with wrath, and the fur on his back raised in a long ridge.
"Shoot him, Jack!" cried Nat.
But Jack did not need this advice. Dropping on one knee he took quickaim and pulled the trigge
r. At the sound of the shot bruin lurchedforward, and without the loss of a second Jack pumped in anothercartridge and let him have it right in the head.
Then the big, tawny brute, with a scream, launched himself forward, anddoubling up into a ball, began to roll down the mountain-side, straighttoward where Sam and Nat stood.
"Look out!" cried Jack, for he saw that the bear was in his deathstruggle, and might attack his chums.
Sam and Nat needed no warning, but as they turned to get out of the wayof the infuriated creature, Nat's foot slipped. He fell, and, to savehimself, he clutched at Sam. They both went down in a heap, rolling overand over, but a few feet in front of the bear, that came bounding afterthem, clawing up dirt, stones and little shrubs as it tried to stay itsprogress.