"I don't know, we may not be so badly off here for a while, after all," admitted John. "Just look at the gulls," said Jesse, idly shying a pebble at one great bird as it came screaming along close above them, to join its kind in the great flocks that circled around above the salmon, which they were helpless to feed upon, not being equipped with beak and talons like the eagles. "Yes," said Rob, "thousands of them. And every pair of them with a nest somewhere, and every nest with two eggs, and a good many of them good to eat. Do you see those tall, ragged rocks out there? That looks to me like their nesting-ground." "But we can't get there," said John, pointing to the creek. "Oh yes, we can, in two ways. We could wade the creek up above and climb across the shoulder of the mountain there, and maybe cross the next creek beyond, and so get out to those rocks on the point below. Or we can launch the dory up above and come down the coast to the mouth of the creek, and then skirt the shore over there." "Why don't we bring our boat over here and take it up the creek?" asked Jesse. "We wouldn't have to row more than a mile or so, and then we'd always know our boat was safe." "That's a good idea," said Rob. "We'll do that this very day. Suppose we go back now to the house." They now turned and began slowly to walk up the creek again. Suddenly Rob stooped down and parted the grass, looking closely at something on the ground. "What is it, Rob?" asked John, joining him. The two now pushed the grass apart and looked down eagerly. Rob rose to his knees and pushed the cap back on his forehead. "If I didn't know better," said he, "I'd call that the track of an elephant or a mastodon or something. See, there it goes, all along the shore." "But it can't be an elephant," said Jesse. "No, it can't be anything but just what it is--the track of a bear! What Uncle Dick said is true. Look, this track is more than half as long as my arm." "We'd better get back to the house as quick as we can," said Jesse, anxiously. "That bear may come back any minute!" IX THE BIG BEAR OF KADIAK The three now started up the creek toward the barabbara, their steps perhaps a little quicker than when they came down-stream. Rob was scanning the mountain-side carefully, and looking as well at the sign along the creek bank. "That's where he lives, up in that canyon across the creek, very likely," he said, at length. "Here's where he crossed in the shallow water, and last night he fished all along this bank. My! I'll bet he's full of bones to-day. It's the first run of fish, and he was so hungry he ate pretty near everything except the backbone." He pointed to a dozen skeletons of salmon that lay half hidden in the grass. The latter was trampled down as though cows had been in pasture there.