THE PELT IS REMOVED
Hawk Eye set the package of bear meat in one of the canoes and again
looked about. Noticing that his gun had been taken from the canoe in
which he had left it, he concluded that Raven Wing had grown tired of
waiting for him to return.
Not having tasted food since the previous evening, he took out some
pemmican and commenced to eat. His appetite somewhat satisfied, he stood
up and again looked about him.
"I may as well go back and skin the bear. Raven Wing may not return for
some little time," he thought. The morning had already slipped away and
by the time the bear's pelt could be removed he realized that the sun
would be low in the sky. So he set off without delay, stopping only at
a tiny spring for a cool drink.
[Illustration: {Brave hunting.}]
On nearing the spot where he had first encountered the bear, his ears
caught the sound of some one treading softly. As he slipped behind a
tree trunk and fitted an arrow to his bowstring, he heard Raven Wing's
voice calling.
"Thought at first you might be the mate of the bear I killed a while
ago," cried Hawk Eye, coming out into the open.
"What! You say you have slain a bear?" exclaimed Raven Wing, dropping a
couple of prairie chickens which he had shot.
"Come, I will show you my kill," answered Hawk Eye.
"I was following your trail from the hillside when I caught sight of you
at the edge of the timber," explained Raven Wing. "From what I now see
of the trail I should judge you were being chased by the bear."
"I was," admitted Hawk Eye, with a grin. "But it was no laughing matter
at the time, as you will soon see for yourself."
Presently they came to the rocky, flat open space. As Raven Wing
advanced and caught sight of the animal's huge form lying close to the
base of the giant boulder, he uttered a cry of amazement.
"What a bear!" he cried. "But look! Someone has already removed the
claws."
"They are safe in my doeskin pouch," answered Hawk Eye. "I wished to
make sure of a necklace of bear claws before leaving the body."
"The Great Spirit has rewarded you for sacrificing the necklace of
panther claws," said Raven Wing in an awe-struck voice.
"He has indeed," agreed Hawk Eye. After a moment's silence Hawk Eye
said, "Help me remove the pelt."
Without further words both boys set to work. It was no mean job they had
undertaken. They found it necessary to cut down two strong young
saplings with which to turn over the immense body. At length they were
able to tear the hide clear of the carcass.
As Raven Wing bound it up in a neat, tight roll, he remarked, "I see you
have already taken the choice cuts."
"They are in my canoe," answered Hawk Eye, wiping his blood-stained
hands on the bear's head.
"We have another pelt to trade," chuckled Raven Wing, shouldering the
package. "We had better start at once for the river. The sun is low."
"Yes," answered Hawk Eye. "I do not like the idea of leaving our canoes
for so long a time. Let us make haste."
[Illustration: {River.}]