Tracks in the snow led to a large hole under the sill of the house where a part of the cellar wall had caved in.
"But there's a bear or some other large animal down cellar," Addison said.

"You watch here at the window." He got a brick and, pulling the old wardrobe aside, flung it down the stairs and yelled.

Instantly there was a clatter below, and out from the hole under the sill bounded a big black animal, evidently a bear, and loped away through the snow.
We could now pretty well account for the nocturnal uproar.

Bears hibernate in winter, but are often out until the first snows come.

The storm had probably surprised this one while he was still roaming about, and he had hastily searched for a den.
The storm had abated, and we decided to start for Lovell at once.