FIGHTING A GRIZZLY.
The grizzly could not fail to detect the ruse of the boy, and he
countered by moving around to the other side of the fire, so that he
regained his former advantage. The nocturnal visitor had evidently set
his mind upon making his supper upon the little chap, whose plump,
robust appearance must have been a very tempting bait to him. The latter
was reluctant to repeat his maneuver, as, by doing so, he would be
forced to pass so near his foe that a big paw might reach out and grasp
him while on the way.
"I'll have to fight you with fire," he said, as he seized a large stick,
one end of which was blazing.
In the hope that he might give him a greater scare than before, the lad
swung it rapidly around his head until it was fanned into a roaring
flame. While this was going on, he was surrounded, as it appeared, by a
fiery circle, his appearance being such that the bravest quadruped
living could not have been induced to approach within his reach. Not
content with this, Ned assumed the aggressive. Stooping low, he emitted
a wild yell, and repeating this, pointed the torch forward and toward
him, moving it more rapidly and in a smaller circle, while at the same
time he kept slowly advancing upon him.
No bear could be expected to withstand such a demonstration. The figure
of the yelling urchin, with his head surrounded by a blazing serpent,
must have struck terror to his very inmost being. Without pausing to do
more than to utter a short growl, he wheeled around and went crashing
through the undergrowth as if under the belief that a battery had been
suddenly unmasked and was about to open upon him. When he had retreated
a few rods he paused to see how matters appeared, when he again beheld
the horrid figure closer than ever and drawing nearer every moment. It
was appalling, and he plunged away at a greater speed than ever. Ned
pursued him until he was fearful of getting so far away from the camp
fire that he would lose it altogether. When he paused he could hear the
bear still tramping off, as if he already felt the torch blistering his
nose. Turning again, the lad ran with all speed to his "headquarters,"
where he flung down his torch and caught up his gun.
"Now I think I've got time to load it," he said, as he began the
operation at once, a little alarmed, however, to discover that the
supply of ammunition furnished him by Tom Hardynge was growing
alarmingly small.
He succeeded in ramming the charge home, and then as he placed the cap
upon the tube, he felt something of the old confidence that was his when
astride the mustang and coursing over the prairie at a speed which no
horse could equal. When first charged upon by the monster he had fired
with such haste that he had no time to make any aim; now fortified by
his camp fire, he meant to improve upon that. Everything being ready, he
looked off into the gloom, but nothing was to be seen of the creature,
nor did the slightest sound betray his whereabouts.
"He'll be sneaking back pretty soon," said the lad to himself, who was
resolved to remain on the watch.
He was not kept waiting. A minute later he caught the slow crackling and
trampling of some heavy creature through the undergrowth, and he was
confident that his old enemy was close at hand. The lad sank down upon
one knee, so close to the fire that it scorched him, and awaited his
approach. But the grizzly had been so thoroughly scared that he hadn't
entirely recovered from it. When something like twenty feet away he
halted, and evidently began debating whether it would be prudent to
approach.
Chadmund could not make out his figure distinctly, although he knew
precisely where he was; but, by and by, when the head moved a little, he
caught the phosphorescent glitter of the eyes. As the fire light shone
upon the gun-barrel he wanted no better opportunity, and, supporting the
weapon upon one knee, he pointed it straight at the center--that is,
directly between those glowing orbs, which remained stationary, as if in
waiting for the fatal messenger. It came the next moment. True to its
aim, the tiny sphere of lead entered the head of the bear at the most
vulnerable point, and the life went out from that huge mass. A rasping
growl, a few spasmodic throes, and it was all over.
Ned was naturally exultant over his exploit, and he reflected that if
matters went on in the same fashion, he could soon lay claim to being
quite a hunter. He had shot an Indian, a buffalo, and a grizzly bear,
besides performing some other exploits not always accomplished by men.
"I guess the best plan is to load again," he muttered, as he adopted
this precautionary measure. "That isn't the only grizzly bear in the
country."
By this time the fire was running down, and the lad, throwing some more
fuel upon it, seated himself directly in front, prepared to watch for
further visitors. He had scarcely ensconced himself in this position
when his hair fairly rose on end at hearing a low but distinct, growl,
proving that some other unwelcome caller was about to pay him his
respects.
He hurriedly looked in every direction, but could see nothing to explain
the cause of this alarming manifestation. It was so different from the
warning uttered by the grizzly that he knew it must be some other sort
of creature. Holding his rifle ready for instant use, he glanced
hurriedly about him, but, although the camp fire was throwing out a long
stream of light, no sign of an animal could be detected.
"I'm sure I heard something," he repeated, still wondering and looking
around in search of the cause. "Hello! there it goes again. It sounds as
if it were somewhere up in the air--it is in the air!"
The fire had been kindled against the face of a rock. This rock rose
perpendicularly a dozen feet above the ground below, where the fire was
burning, and where the lad was standing. As he looked up he saw the
gaunt figure of a large mountain wolf standing on the very edge of this,
looking down upon him, its lank jaws distended, its eyes glaring, and
its whole appearance that of a ferocious beast about to leap down upon
his head. The suggestion was so startling, that Ned uttered an
exclamation of terror, and leaped back several feet.
It must be that when a wild beast comes across a boy, he concludes that
even though he carries a gun there is nothing to be feared from him. The
grizzly bear had shown a sublime indifference to Ned's capacity, and his
life had paid the forfeit. And now, although the mountain wolf must have
seen him raise that rifle and point it as straight as the finger of fate
directly at him, he paid no attention to it whatever; but there he
stood, snarling and growling, and on the very point of leaping.
Suddenly there was a short, sharp crack, and it was all over with the
wolf. He must have gathered himself for a leap at that very moment; for
the bullet that bored his brittle skull through and through did not
prevent an outward bound. A faint yelp and the creature bounded full a
dozen feet directly out from the rock, and, owing to some curious quirp
of the muscles, turned a complete somerset, and would have landed
directly upon the head of Ned if he hadn't sprung to one side as the
carcass fell to the ground.
"That settles your case," remarked the boy, with the indifference of an
old hunter. "Now it's time to load up again."
This done he settled himself to watch and listen and play the part of
his own sentinel for the rest of the night. A faint moaning of the
night-wind was all that reached his ears. Once he fancied he heard the
report of a gun far away in the distance, but it was so faint that he
might have been mistaken. Then a cry, somewhat resembling that made by a
panther, was borne on the wind, but that, too, seemed to come from the
mountains that were miles away to the westward. No sound indicated the
presence of any further danger close at hand. Everything was quiet, and
seemingly at rest.