He stopped short in what he was saying, and seemed to cock his head on
one side, as though listening.

"Say, I guess there must be some kind of bird or animal in your old
chimney, Uncle Jim," remarked Steve.

"I thought I heard it, too," Owen declared.

All listened.

"There it goes again," said Steve; "and something dropped down right
then. I was thinking of that story you told us where a bear came down
through the big chimney of a cabin. Wow! Listen to that, would you?"

As Steve cried out in this way, the rattling in the chimney suddenly grew
into an alarming noise. Then a large object fell with a crash into the
fire.




CHAPTER V.

WHAT CAME DOWN THE CHIMNEY.


"It's a bear!" whooped Steve, as he made a headlong dash for the corner
where his double barrel stood.

Forgotten just then was the injunction of the old trapper that they