THE BOY HUNTERS AND A BEAR
The boys stopped to get dinner and then hurried back to the cabin
with all possible speed.
"This has been a long tramp for nothing," was Giant's comment,
as they trudged along.
"Oh, I don't think so!" answered Whopper. "I think we have learned
a good deal."
On the way back they could not resist the temptation to shoot
what game came in their way and thus brought down several rabbits,
a squirrel, four quail, and two wild ducks that chanced to show
themselves near the end of the lake.
As they neared the cabin they had to pass the bear trap that had
been set so many days. They heard a peculiar grunting.
"Listen!" cried Snap, coming to a halt. "What is that?"
"I am sure I don't know," said Shep. "Sounds like some beast
in pain."
"Maybe it is something in the trap!" cried Giant, and moved forward
on a run, before anybody could stop him.
As Giant drew in sight of the trap something caught his eyes that
brought him stock still in wonder.
There, fast in the trap, lay a small bear, and close at hand was
another bear, evidently trying to get the prisoner free!
"Look out there, Giant!" sang out Snap, as he, too, saw the situation.
"Two bears, by all that is lucky!" ejaculated Whopper.
At the sounds of the boys' voices the free bear turned swiftly.
Evidently he was in a rage, and for a good reason, for the bear in
the trap was his mate.
"He is coming for you!" cried Shep. What he said was true; the bear
was indeed coming for Giant. He stood up on his hind legs and
confronted the young hunter. A moment more and his powerful paw
must have knocked Giant down and perhaps have killed the lad.
But Snap had somewhat recovered from his astonishment, and raising
his shotgun quickly, he pulled the trigger.
The dose of shot took the bear in the side of the face and stung
him so bitterly that he fell back a few steps. But this was only
for the moment. Soon he gathered himself once more and then turned
upon Snap.
"Shoot him!" cried the young leader of the gun club and a second later
came the crack of the rifle that Shep carried. The bullet pierced
the bear's side and he rolled over and over in pain.
"Good for you, Shep!" sang out Snap. "Shoot him again, somebody!"
For an answer, both Whopper and Giant fired their shotguns and
the bear received both charges in his rump. Again he rolled over
and over, uttering a roar that could be heard for a long distance.
He tried to arise and did so once, dragging himself toward Whopper,
who lost no time in retreating.
By this time Snap was ready for another shot, and growing bolder,
he watched his chance, ran in and let the bear have the buckshot
directly between the eyes. Then Shep took a second shot also, hitting
Bruin in the throat. This was too much for the bear, and with a
quiver and a gasp he sank in a heap, and a moment later breathed
his last.
"Is he---he dead?" gasped Giant, after the bear had been quiet for
a full minute.
"I think so," answered Snap. "But don't go near him yet---he may be
playing a trick on us."
"I am not going near him."
"The bear in the trap is alive!" called out Whopper, who had just
made an examination.
All lost no time in reloading their weapons, and then they peered
into the trap. The bear under the logs and stones gave a grunt of
pain and rage.
"I'll fix her," said Snap, and, drawing close, let drive at the bear's
head. It was a telling shot, and soon the bear stretched out, and
then the battle with the two creatures came to an end.
"What a magnificent haul!" cried Giant, after they were certain both
bears were dead.
"I wonder what Ham Spink and his crowd would say to this?" came
from Snap.
"They wouldn't believe it unless they saw it," returned Whopper.
"Boys, do you know what I think? I think we ought to take those
bears home."
"Just what I think, too," said Giant. "I want my mother to see them."
"Well, I am willing," answered Snap. "But I think we ought to visit
Lake Cameron first and see if we can't find this Lusher Barrock."
"We can stop at Lake Cameron on the way," answered Whopper.
It was late in the day already, and by the time they had dragged
the bears to camp it was night. As they sat around the camp-fire
they talked matters over and decided to break camp the very next
day. They had had about all the hunting they wished for the present,
and getting the two bears "topped matters off," as Snap put it.
The bears were loaded into the boat and anchored out in the lake,
and then the boys got supper and went to bed. Snap was soon asleep
and so were Giant and Shep, and all slept soundly until about
midnight, when the leader of the club awoke a start.
"Hullo! what's up now?" he called out, and this cry aroused Shep
and Giant.
"What is it, Snap?"
"Where is Whopper?"
"I don't know where he is," answered Snap. "Listen!"
The three did so, and from a distance heard a groan and then a
thrashing around in the bushes back of the cabin.
"Something is wrong, that is sure!" gasped Giant. "Whopper must be
in trouble!"
"Come on and see," returned Snap, and catching up his gun he ran
from the shelter. Shep and Giant were not slow in following.
When they got outside all had become quiet again, and they knew not
in what direction to turn. There was no moon, but the stars shone
like so many diamonds in the heavens.
"Where is he?" asked Shep, after a breathless pause.
"I don't know," answered Snap. "Hullo, Whopper!" he called out.
There was no reply to his shout and he moved into the bushes
cautiously, with the others at his heels. Then, of a sudden, he
came upon Whopper, who stood by a bush tugging away manfully.
"Get back!" murmured Whopper. "Get back, you beast! Say, fellows,
this is the worst bear of the lot! Down he goes! That makes four
bears for yours truly!"
"I know what's the matter!" shouted Snap, lowering his gun. "He
has got the nightmare."
"Yes, and got it bad, too," put in Giant. "My! see him hustle with
the bush!"
"Shall we wake him up?" asked Shep.
"No---it may not be good for him," answered Snap.
"Oh, I am going to wake him up!" came from Giant, and before the
others could stop him he ran forward and caught Whopper by the
arm. "Wake up, Whopper!" he called. "Wake up, old man! You've
got 'em bad!"
At first Whopper paid no attention. "Then his struggles with the bush
ceased and he opened his eyes and stared about him in bewilderment.
"Wh-what is the matter? Wh-where am I?" he stammered, gazing around
stupidly.
"You've been asleep and dreaming," explained Snap. "You thought you
were after a bear."
"So I was---after a dozen bears. Did I---I kill any?"
"There are no bears here. You were only dreaming."
"Oh!" Whopper rubbed his eyes. "No bears at all?"
"None but what we shot yesterday. You went to sleep and the next
thing we knew you were out here, pulling at this bush."
"Where am I?"
"Back of the cabin," put in Shep. "You had better go to bed again."
"And please don't dream of any more bears," added Giant, with a grin.
Whopper scratched his head in perplexity.
"Funny how I got here! I don't understand it at all. Oh, but say,
I was having the fight of my life!"
"I should say so," answered Snap, looking around. "You must have
pulled up those three bushes yonder. Getting strong in your sleep."
"I am glad he didn't dream I was a bear," remarked Shep. "There
wouldn't have been anything left of me by the time he woke up!"
"I know how it was," said Whopper, as the full truth dawned on
him. "I ate a very hearty supper last night, and when I went
to bed my head was full of those two bears we brought down. That
gave me the nightmare."
"Then, after this, we'll have to send you to bed supperless," said
Snap.
"Not much!" cried Whopper.