"Half the roof smashed in, our furs and our food supplies thrown in every direction, and a big bear stretched out in front of our fire." They heard the patter of swift footsteps outside, and the three fishing at the lake, who had heard the shot, came in, running.
"It's nothin', boys," said Shif'less Sol carelessly.

"A gentleman livin' in these parts, but a stranger to us, came into our house uninvited.

He wouldn't go away when we axed him to, most earnest, so we've jest put him to sleep." Ross pushed the bear with his foot.
"He's fat yet," he said, "an' he ought to be in winter quarters right now.
Somethin' must have driv him out uv his hole an' have sent him wanderin' across the lake on the ice an' snow.

That's what anybody gits fur not stayin' whar he belongs." "An' ef Jim Hart had stayed whar he belongs--that is, right here in this house, cookin'-- he'd have got that b'ar on his back, an' not me," said Shif'less Sol, rubbing the bruised place.
"That's once I wuz luckier than you wuz, Sol Hyde," said Jim Hart, chuckling.
"We've got a lot of fresh bear steak," said Henry Ware, "but we'll have to clean up all this mess, and rebuild our house, just as soon as we can." They set to work at once.

All, through forest life, had become skillful in such tasks, and it did not take them long to rethatch the roof.