"I found something down below," said John, coming up the companion-stair after a time.
"Bear hide nailed on the side of the boat, by the wood-pile below. The engineer killed it a week ago up the river. About every one on the boat has a rifle, and they say they get bears every trip. I think we had better have our guns ready all the time. They say that old Showan, the pilot in the pilot-house up above, only keeps his job on this boat because he gets such fine bear hunting all the time."
"Well, he'll have to beat us," said Rob, stoutly.
"Alex," inquired Jesse, after a time, "how many bear did you ever see on this river in one day?"
"I wouldn't like to say," answered Alex, "for we don't always count them. I'm told that one of our passengers counted twenty-eight in one afternoon right on this part of the river where we are now. I've often seen a dozen a day, I should say."
"You're joking about that, Alex!" said Rob.
"Wait and see--I may show you pretty soon," was the answer.
The boys, always ready enough when there was game to be seen, secured their rifles and took their stand at the front rail of the cabin-deck, ready for anything which might appear.
"I don't see how you can shoot off this boat," said Jesse, trying to sight his rifle. "It wobbles all the time when the engine goes."
Alex gave him a little advice. "I think you'll find it better to stand with your feet pretty close together," said he, "and keep your hands as close together as you can on your rifle, too. Then, when you catch sight of your mark as you swing by, pull, and don't try to hold dead on."
For some time they saw nothing, and, leaning their rifles against the cabin walls, were talking about something else, when all at once they heard the whistle of the steamer boom out above them. At about the same time, one of the deck-hands at the bow deck below picked up a piece of plank and began to beat loudly with it upon the side structure of the boat.
"What's the matter?" asked Rob. "Has everybody gone crazy, Alex?"
"No; they're just trying to beat up the game," said Alex, smiling. "You see that island below? It nearly always has bears feeding on it, where the berries are thick. When the boat comes down above them the men try to scare the bears out into the river. Just wait a minute, and perhaps you'll see some of the strangest bear hunting you ever heard of in your life."