should not shoot any thing that wore fur, as it would cheat him out of
all his expected profits.

If a bear became so bold as to enter the cabin by way of the chimney he
must surely be treated, with scant ceremony. Buckshot or birdshot, it
mattered little which the gun contained, since at close quarters the load
would carry like a large bullet.

But Steve had not even managed to lay a hand on his gun, when he was
amazed to hear above the barking of the two dogs, loud shrieks of
laughter from Max, Owen, and Toby.

Even the hoarser notes of the trapper seemed to join in. And when there
chanced to be a little break in all this racket, Steve caught a wailing
voice crying aloud:

"Put me out! Somebody throw a bucket of water over me, and put me out!
I'm all a-fire! Why can't you help a feller?"

A figure was dancing around like mad, now slapping at his trousers leg,
and then trying to reach the middle of his back, where his coat seemed to
be smoldering.

It was Bandy-legs.

Steve instantly recognized his chum, and this fact, taken with the noise
in the chimney, gave the thing away.

Bandy-legs had tried to play a prank on them, and, as usual, made a sorry
mess of it.