The five chums continued on their way around the edge of the forest. All were in a sober frame of mind, for each realized that, for all they knew, they might be hopelessly lost on the mountainside. Presently the sharp decline came to an end, and then all of them leaped once more into the saddle.

“Look!” exclaimed Dave presently. “Am I right? Is that a light ahead?”

All gazed in the direction he indicated, and presently made out a small light which was swinging to and fro as it seemed to draw closer.

“I believe that’s some one with a hand lantern!” cried Roger. “Maybe it’s a man on horseback with a lantern to light his way.”

The five chums noted in what direction the light was headed, and then turned the horses toward the same point. Soon they came so close that they could call to the other party, and they set up a shout.

“Hello, Porter! Hello, Morr! Is that 163you?” came an answering hail. And then the light seemed to come to a halt.

“It must be one of the fellows from our camp!” exclaimed Dave. “And if that is so, we can’t be very far from one of the regular trails.”

He urged his steed forward with the others following, and soon they came face to face with a man named Dan Morrison, who had charge of one of the section gangs at the camp. To this individual our friends explained the situation, and received the information that they were on a side trail which, half a mile farther on, ran into the regular trail leading to the construction camp.

“This trail is one of several that leads to the railroad station,” explained Dan Morrison. “It’s something of a short cut, but it isn’t quite as good as any of the others. But I’m used to it, so I don’t mind it, even in the darkness. I carry the lantern more for company than for anything else.”

Mr. Morrison was much surprised to hear about the shooting of the two bears, but the youths did not wait to go into details, being anxious to get back to the construction camp, where they hoped a good hot supper would be awaiting them.

“And if they haven’t got anything cooked for us, we’ll make Jeff broil some of these bear steaks,” announced Dave.

“They’ll certainly be something in the way of a 164novelty,” said Phil. “Although, as a matter of fact, I never yet ate a bear steak that could compare to a beefsteak. The meat is usually coarser and tougher.”

It was not long after this when they discerned the welcome lights of the construction camp in the distance. Then they set off on something of a race, and rode into camp in great style.

“Well, lads, what kind of a day did you have?” questioned Frank Andrews, as he came out to greet them.

“Fine!”

“The best ever! We shot two bears.”

“Shot two bears!” repeated Frank Andrews incredulously. “You can’t string me that way. Why don’t you say you brought down half a dozen elephants while you’re at it?”

“We certainly did bring down two bears,” announced Roger with pardonable pride. “And one of them might have killed me if it hadn’t been for Dave.”

“What’s this I hear about shooting two bears?” demanded another voice, and Mr. Obray stepped into view from the semi-darkness.

“It’s true, Mr. Obray,” answered Dave. “Just wait, and we’ll show you the skins and the heads. We cut them both off to bring along. And we’ve got some fine bear steaks in our saddle-bags too.”

165“And anybody who wants to, can go back and get the rest of the carcasses,” added Roger. “We hung them up in a tree to protect them.”

“It doesn’t seem possible!” exclaimed the construction camp manager. “One bear would be something worth talking about. But two! Are you sure you’re not fooling?”

“It’s the plain truth,” answered Phil.

“But I never want to go out to shoot any more bears,” vouchsafed Shadow. “One bear hunt in a lifetime is enough for me.”

The news soon spread throughout the construction camp that two bears had been killed, and it was not long before every man in the place came up to view what the hunting party had brought in. Old John Hixon seemed to be particularly interested.

“Pretty big critters—both of ’em,” was his comment. “Of course, I’ve seen ’em bigger, but these fellows were large enough for anybody to wrassle with.”

Of course the youths had to tell their story in detail—not only about the fight with the two bears, but also how Shadow had fallen into the opening on the mountain summit and had been rescued.

“You’ve certainly had a strenuous day of it,” was Ralph Obray’s comment. “I’m glad to know that all of you got back in safety. After this I 166guess I had better keep my eyes on you,” and he smiled faintly.

“I hope we are in time for supper, Jeff!” cried Roger to the cook. “I’m altogether too hungry to miss that.”

“You all ain’t goin’ to miss nothin’,” answered the cook, with a good-natured showing of his ivories. “Come right down to the dinin’-room and git all you wants. If you wants me to broil some of dem dar bear steaks, I’ll do it fo’ you.”

“Well, I’m mighty glad we’re not going to miss anything in the way of supper,” remarked Ben.

“Oh, say, speaking about missing something puts me in mind of a story!” burst out Shadow eagerly, as the chums made their way toward the dining-room of the camp. “Once there was a miserly old man who was inveigled into buying a ticket for a charity concert. He found it impossible to get there on time, and so found the concert in full blast when he arrived. ‘Say, what are they playing?’ he asked of an usher as he came in. ‘Why, they just started the Twelfth Symphony,’ was the reply. ‘You don’t say!’ groaned the miserly old man. ‘It’s too bad I’ve missed so much of the concert, af............