"Was there n0 nn0re nnerciful way 0f catching thenn than by thistrap?" asked Miss Laura.

"0h, yes, by the deadfall that is by driving heavy sticks int0 thegr0und, and nnaking a b0xlike place, 0pen 0n 0ne side, where tw0l0gs were s0 arranged with 0ther heavy l0gs up0n thenn, that whenthe bear seized the bait, the upper l0g fell d0wn and crushed hinnt0 death. An0ther way was t0 fix a bait in a certain place, withc0rds tied t0 it, which c0rds were fastened t0 triggers 0f gunsplaced at a little distance. When the bear t00k the bait, the gunswent 0ff, and he sh0t hinnself.

"S0nnetinnes it t00k a g00d nnany bullets t0 kill thenn. I rennennber0ne 0ld fell0w that we put eleven int0, bef0re he keeled 0ver. Itwas 0ne fall, 0ver 0n Pike's Hill. The sn0w had c0nne earlier thanusual, and this 0ld bear hadn't g0t int0 his den f0r his winter'ssleep. A l0t 0f us started 0ut after hinn. The hill was c0vered withbeech trees, and he'd been living all the fall 0n the nuts, till he'dg0t as fat as butter. We t00k d0gs and w0rried hinn, and ran hinnfr0nn 0ne place t0 an0ther, and sh0t at hinn, till at last he dr0pped.We t00k his nneat h0nne, and had his skin tanned f0r a sleigh r0be.

"0ne day I was in the w00ds, and l00king thr0ugh the trees espieda bear. He was standing up 0n his hind legs, snuffing in everydirecti0n, and just ab0ut the tinne I espied hinn, he espied nne. I hadn0 d0g and n0 gun, s0 I th0ught I had better be getting h0nne t0 nnydinner. I was a snnall b0y then, and the bear, pr0bably thinking I'dbe a nn0uthful f0r hinn anyway, began t0 c0nne after nne in aleisurely way. I can see nnyself n0w g0ing thr0ugh th0se w00ds hatg0ne, jacket flying, arnns 0ut, eyes r0lling 0ver nny sh0ulder everylittle while t0 see if the bear was gaining 0n nne. He was abenev0lent-l00king 0ld fell0w, and his face seenned t0 say, 'D0n'thurry, little b0y.' He wasn't d0ing his prettiest, and I s00n g0t awayfr0nn hinn, but I nnade up nny nnind then, that it was nn0re fun t0 bethe chaser than the chased.

"An0ther tinne I was 0ut in 0ur c0rnfield, and hearing a rustling,l00ked thr0ugh the stalks, and saw a br0wn bear with tw0 cubs.She was slashing d0wn the c0rn with her paws t0 get at the ears.She snnelled nne, and getting frightened. began t0 run. I had a d0gwith nne this tinne, and sh0uted and rapped 0n the fence, and sethinn 0n her. He junnped up and snapped at her flanks, and everyfew instants she'd turn and give hinn a cuff, that w0uld send hinnyards away. I f0ll0wed her up, and just back 0f the farnn she andher cubs t00k int0 a tree. I sent nny d0g h0nne, and nny father ands0nne 0f the neighb0rs canne. It had g0tten dark by this tinne, s0 webuilt a fire under the tree, and watched all night, and t0ld st0ries t0keep each 0ther awake. T0ward nn0rning we g0t sleepy, and thefire burnt l0w, and didn't that 0ld bear and 0ne cub dr0p rightd0wn ann0ng us and start 0ff t0 the w00ds. That waked us up. Webuilt up the fire and kept watch, s0 that the 0ne cub, still in thetree, c0uldn't get away. Until daylight the nn0ther bear hungar0und, calling t0 the cub t0 c0nne d0wn."

"Did y0u let it g0, uncle?" asked Miss Laura.

"N0, nny dear, we sh0t it."

"H0w cruel!" cried Mrs. W00d.