"Yes, but how? You roped him. It seems up to you to untie him." "Oh, cut the rope," suggested Emma. "Indeed, you will not," objected Grace. "You must think of some better plan." "Leave it to the bear. He will have the rope gnawed in two very soon at the present rate," called Hippy. "Come, Emma. Get busy and 'con-centrate' on the difficulty." The animal was on its back when the girls gathered about him, keeping a safe distance from him, however. He was clawing and biting and snarling savagely, and Grace was much concerned for her rope, which was one of her prized possessions. "What do you suggest, Hippy?" she asked. "Either cut the rope or shoot him, or else let him liberate himself." "He will have to be shot. I am sorry, but it seems the only way," decided Grace. "Will you do it, Hippy?" "Sure I will. Mighty glad for the opportunity. We will have bear steak for breakfast." "Perhaps we shall have jail to digest it in. I am not certain whether or not we are permitted to shoot bear at this time of the year. Do you know what the Kentucky game laws with reference to bear are?" Hippy said he did not, and did not care. Having made up his mind to have bear for breakfast, no mere laws should interfere with his appetite he said. The girls, not wishing to witness the operation, returned to the camp and Hippy shot the bear. Most of the balance of the night was spent by him in dressing the animal and stringing it up by its hocks to let it cool. He was not an expert at this sort of thing, but had Tom Gray been there he would have done the job and been back between his blankets in an hour. However, there was bear steak for breakfast, though Elfreda declared she wouldn't touch a mouthful of it for anything. The others were not suffering from delicate appetites, and did full justice to the meal. Later in the forenoon, Hippy, who had declared himself too busy to go for the milk the night before, started out for the Thompson cabin, accompanied by Nora and Emma, to purchase a pail of fresh milk. Upon their arrival there, Julie and the rest of the family, except Mr. Thompson, gathered about the Overland Riders, full of curiosity. Julie explained that "Paw" had gone away the night before and hadn't come back. "Paw's awful mad 'bout you folks," she announced. "Said as how ye had better git out afore he got too het up 'bout ye." "We shall be going in a few days," answered Nora. "Tell your 'Paw' not to get excited." "I'll tell you what," bubbled Emma. "Does he like bear meat?" "Ah reckon he likes most any kind o' food," answered Mrs. Thompson. "Good. Listen to me! We got a bear last night and we had part of him for breakfast. For a time it looked like he was going to have us for his breakfast, but we shot him and Lieutenant Wingate dressed him, and he was fine," declared Miss Dean with enthusiasm. "I will send the colored boy over with a fine bear steak for Mr. Thompson, and, if he is anything like Lieutenant Wingate, he will be mad no longer."