biscuits and some sowbelly in my pocket in case I might get hungry.
And I'm tellin' you that lunch came in right handy before I was done
with it.

"Bime-by I hit upon the likeliest little birch saplin', right in the
middle of a clump of jack pine. Jest as I raised my hand-ax I happened
to cast my eyes down the hill. There was a big bear comin' up, swingin'
along on all fours, right in my direction. It was a bald-face, but
little I knew then about such kind.

"'Jest watch me scare him,' I says to myself, and I stayed out of sight
in the trees.

"Well, I waited till he was about a hundred feet off, then out I runs
into the open.

"'Oof! oof!' I hollered at him, expectin' to see him turn tail like
chain lightning.

"Turn tail? He jest throwed up his head for one good look and came a
comin'.

"'Oof! oof!' I hollered, louder'n ever. But he jest came a comin'.

"'Consarn you!' I says to myself, gettin' mad. 'I'll make you jump the
trail.'

"So I grabs my hat, and wavin' and hollerin' starts down the trail to
meet him. A big sugar pine had gone down in a windfall and lay about
breast high. I stops jest behind it, old bald-face comin' all the time.