Part 44 (1/2)
”Yes, I signaled back and shot at the bear at the sah it made him keep his distance for awhile”
”I see your pistol is the same size as mine, so I'll load them both--in case the bear comes back” Dave set to work immediately and soon had the work co to eat and to drink, and then you'll feel better”
He unslung his knapsack and brought forth his provisions, and sitting in the shelter of the cliff prepared a hted brushwood he made a canteen of coffee, of which his father partook with satisfaction, and then ate a sandwich and some crackers and cheese As he supplied his parent Dave told a good portion of his story, although he went into few details
”It is queer that I never received any of those letters and cablegraht your uncle was still a on a trip that ht not be able to write to me for some time Laura, your sister--how surprised she will be!--and h Spain and then came up to Berlin There I fell in with Hausermann and, later on, with Philip Laphaot o to the United States, with soo and came up here We traveled to Norway somewhat in secret, for we did not wish to let the object of our expedition become known On that account we had souers After that we left no addresses behind us--which accounts for the non-delivery of the cablegraht you up into this portion of Norway, father, and at this time of the year?”
”We came to locate a valuable mine, or rather a series of mines, in this section Hausermann had some information about them, but had no money, and he came to me and then to Philip Lapham, and we 'staked' the expedition, as miners call it We came up this winter because we heard that three other parties were coet in ahead”
”And have you done that?” asked Dave, with interest
”Not as yet We have found some traces of copper at one point and nickel at another, but not the rich deposits the information we possessed led us to believe could be located”
”Never ether, perhaps you'll have better luck, father I'll help you” Dave smiled broadly ”Tell me about yourself, and about my sister Laura, won't you?”
Both sat in front of the tiny ca on Dave's shoulder, and a hand clasping that of the boy They were supre the world around theotten Mr Porter told much about himself and of his travels, and Dave related how he had been raised at the poorhouse and taken care of by Caspar Potts and Oliver Wadsworth, and how he had fallen in with Billy Dill, the sailor, and gone to the South Sea Islands and found his Uncle Dunston
”I know your sister Laura will be overjoyed to learn the news,” said Mr
Porter ”She has often said how nice it would be if she had a sister or a brother Since your mother's death we have been very lonely Ah, if your mother could only have seen this day!” And the tears stood in Mr
Porter's eyes Then he drew Dave to his breast, and a warotten their surroundings when a deep growl close at hand aroused theazed into the brushwood fronting the jagged rocks and the base of the cliff and uttered a cry of alarm
”What is it, Dave?” questioned his father
”Two bears--the one ounded and another and bigger one”
CHAPTER XXIX
BEARS AND WOLVES
At the announcement from Dave, Mr Porter tried to rise to his feet He could not stand on both legs, and so had to rest against one of the rocks From this point he, too, could see the two bears; but a moment later both animals were hidden completely by the brushwood and the snow
”I am afraid they ry and the deep snow has et food,” answered Mr Porter
”I thought bears went into winter quarters in a place like this”
”So they do sometimes, but not always Besides, I disturbed the wounded bear when I fell over the cliff, and I presume that other beast is his et a better shot than with this pistol”
”A good double-barreled shotgun would be a fine thing, Dave But we'll have to use e've got Don't shoot until you are certain of your aith had coor Yet he knew that to fight off two angry bears would not be easy, and he looked around for some better shelter than that which they at present possessed