HANGING A BEAR.
Meanwhile what has happened to little Archie Stark? Bears, as well as
other wild beasts, were prowling about in the forests, often coming
very near to the scattered dwellings of the pioneers, and at that
season of the year were inclined to be ugly. If Archie had met one
there was small chance that his father and friends would find him
alive. This was the more certain from the fact that fully half an
hour had elapsed since Lige Bitlock had returned to the clearing, and
they would have a mile to go before reaching the scene of his peril,
according to the frightened youth’s incoherent report.
The boys had made the journey to Mr. Perham’s in safety, and, getting
the rope, started on their return with as little delay as possible.
As the long line of deer thong was quite heavy, they took turns in
carrying it, Lige having the first task at lugging.
No sooner had Archie taken the rope than, notwithstanding his repeated
promises to his father about getting “right back,” Lige began to leave
the road at intervals, to make détours into the adjoining forest,
always led in these wanderings by his dog, Pluck. Archie remonstrated
with him in vain, trying to frighten him by declaring that he would
start up a wildcat or a bear.
“I sh’u’d jes’ like to scare up a cat an’ see Pluck pull its fur! Dad
says there is one on th’ island an’――hark! thet dorg has scart up
sumthin’! When thet dorg barks it means sumthin’!” and he bounded in
the direction of the sound.
But Lige Bitlock had not fairly vanished from sight before he
reappeared with redoubled speed, the yelping dog close beside him. At
the same time was heard the crashing of a huge body lumbering through
the undergrowth at their heels.
“A b’ar!” yelled Lige, “a b’ar! Run fer yer life, Arch!”
It proved that the dog had run upon a couple of cubs in the woods,
but it had scarcely begun to bark at them before the old mother bear
appeared. Now a bear is not the most ferocious creature in the world if
not aroused by some unusual action. But a mother bear, filled with the
idea that harm is threatening her cubs, is about as ugly a customer as
any one could wish to meddle with. Lige Bitlock was prudent to flee,
but he was a coward to leave his younger friend to the mercy of the
enraged beast.
In order to carry the rope with as much ease as possible, Archie had
coiled it about his shoulders. When he saw the brute rushing toward him
he found it difficult to free himself from his burden without stopping
in his flight. So he was obliged to flee, his speed greatly retarded by
the coil of deer thong. He called to his companion, but Lige, looking
back over his shoulder, and seeing the bear close on Archie, sped away
faster than before, while his dog, Pluck, proved itself anything but
true to its name.
Archie quickly realised that he could not outrun the bear, though he
was favoured in his flight by the fact that one of the cubs, which kept
beside its mother, was continually getting in the clumsy creature’s
way, thus checking her pursuit. He was a brave boy, and determined
to fight for his life when he found that further flight was useless.
Seeing a chestnut-tree standing a short distance back from the road,
and with branches coming down within easy reach, he resolved to try and
climb it before the bear should overtake him.
Accordingly he plunged through the brushwood, and, quickly reaching the
tree, seized one of the lower limbs, and swung himself up just as the
brute snapped at his bare feet. It was a narrow escape, but, having
fairly got into the chestnut, he ascended like a squirrel to the top.
There he paused for his first breathing spell, and to see what the bear
would do next.
Not to be cheated of its prey, the aroused creature, after giving a
furious growl, began to climb the tree with a celerity wonderful for
one so clumsy in its movements on the ground. As she mounted higher
and higher, Archie began to tremble lest she should reach him. So up
he went, until the branches became so slender and pliant as almost to
refuse to bear his weight. Surely the bear could not reach him there.
After gaining a perch as high as she could very well get, the bear
stopped, glaring up fiercely at him and renewing her savage grunts
and growls. She was within eight or ten feet of him, and Archie was
desperate. He felt that he must surely be caught, as she soon began to
ascend still higher, the chestnut swaying far over on one side, as her
ponderous body rose.
But Mistress Bruin had really climbed as high as she could. After a
few futile attempts to reach her victim, she settled back into her
resting-place, and resumed her threatening cries.
Thinking that at the worst he would only be compelled to remain there
until friends should come to his rescue, Archie was beginning to feel
hopeful, when the bear began new tactics, which were to prove more
dangerous than any before.
She began to shake the tree vigorously, and the whole top of the
chestnut shook as if assailed by a September gale. At the outset
Archie was nearly flung from his precarious perch. Soon succeeding
in getting a firmer hold, he held on for dear life, until the bear
stopped, grunting and threatening to renew her attacks.
He was so high in the air that he knew a fall to the ground meant
broken limbs, if not instant death. He could not pass the bear, so
that escape was cut off. During the brief respite allowed him his mind
was very active, until he believed he had hit upon a plan which might
enable him to escape. He could not be any worse off if it failed.
He still carried the rope coiled about his shoulders, and he at once
began to remove it, the bear watching his work with evident curiosity,
growling occasionally, and trying to reach the line with one of her
fore paws. He wasn’t a great while in getting the line free, and,
calculating on the length needed for his purpose, he proceeded to
fasten that part to the trunk of the chestnut, as far below him as he
could without getting in reach of the watchful brute. Then he made a
running noose in the opposite end of the thong, being careful to see
that the loop would slip freely.
With an earnestness a human being might have exhibited the bear
continued to watch him, abandoning for the time her attacks on the
tree. As Archie lowered the noose toward her she snapped at it
furiously, and, missing it, snarled and tried to hit it with her paw.
Anxiously Archie waited his opportunity, allowing the line to dangle
above her head, though careful to keep it just out of her reach. By
and by she seemed to lose interest in it, and renewed her assaults on
the chestnut, more determined than ever, it seemed, to accomplish her
intentions.
The critical moment for the brave boy had come, and, not without many
misgivings as to the result, and holding to his precarious perch
with one hand, as she began her vigorous shaking Archie improved his
opportunity to drop the noose over her head. So adroitly did he perform
this act that the stout line fell fairly above her big neck.
[Illustration: “ARCHIE IMPROVED HIS OPPORTUNITY TO DROP THE NOOSE OVER
HER HEAD.”]
The moment she felt the line straighten she stopped her attack, and
tried to free herself from the entangling rope. Finding herself unable
to do that, the brute became enraged, and loosened one paw from the
tree to seize on the offending object. The movement was fatal to her.
Archie, watching his time, gave the tree a vigorous shake, feeling that
it was his turn. The result surprised even him. The huge beast suddenly
lost her hold, and, with a furious growl, went crashing down through
the thick branches.
At first Archie’s heart was filled with fear. He thought he had
miscalculated the length of the rope, and that the bear would fall
to the ground before reaching its limit. Then he was frightened lest
the rope should break. These thoughts flew rapidly through his mind.
Then there came a shock which nearly threw him from the tree. As soon
as it had passed he looked anxiously downward, to see a dark form
struggling in mid-air a few feet above the ground. It was the bear,
which soon became quite motionless. He could hardly credit his eyes,
but upon looking a second time he found the huge carcass still there,
helpless now.
The danger over, Archie felt very weak from reaction after the
excitement, and as he descended the tree he came near losing his hold
several times. But that was really no evidence of fear. He had shown
himself extremely courageous in the moment of great peril, and had
acted with wonderful fortitude and forethought.
The dead bear’s cubs were whining piteously under the tree, trying in
vain to reach the lifeless form of their mother dangling above their
heads. Archie watched his opportunity to drop to the ground beyond
their clutch, not knowing but they might make him trouble in their
distracted state.
A minute later he was running up the road as fast as he could go,
though with different feelings stirring his bosom from those which had
caused Lige Bitlock to use his long legs in covering the ground. After
running a short distance he slackened his speed to a walk, and he was
pursuing his way in this deliberate manner when he was discovered by
his father and the others. At sight of him Mr. Stark ran forward and
clasped him in his arms, with terms of endearment.
Showing considerable surprise at this greeting, Archie broke loose,
saying:
“Did you get tired of waiting for the rope, father? I had to leave it
in the chestnut, but if you will let me have your stout knife I can
soon get it for you.”
“My bonnie boy! what has happened? The bear――where is it?”
“Hanging high and dry, father, in the old chestnut in the hollow.
Hilloa, Lige! I see you got home all right!”
Then, upon being questioned, Archie told his story in a modest way, and
was at once the hero of the hour. Around the Stark hearthstone that
evening bear stories were the one absorbing topic of conversation. The
skin of Mistress Bruin was kept for many years in the family, as a
memento of her youthful conqueror.
Mr. Stark had been so wrought up over the affair that he declared no
more work should be done that day. But, as it was then half past five,
Norman did not feel that he was losing very much time. As Rilma came
daily to recite her lessons, he waited as usual to go home with her.
No sister could have been dearer to him than she, and those walks were
never forgotten, when in later life they were both called into the
midst of more exciting scenes. She delighted to go over with him her
studies, gathering new light and interest from his kindly suggestions,
while he told her whatever of interest had happened to him during
the day. And dull and dreary as were those hours of toil in the
stump-field, he found many an incident which pleased her.
One evening he had to tell her that Gunwad had been seen in the
neighbourhood of Christo’s lone cabin, but they felt easier when they
found that he had not been at their home.
“Perhaps he will not try to harm us again,” she said.
“We will hope not,” he replied, though he knew only too well that such
a hope was vain. The unprincipled deer reeve was not one to give up so
easily.
His worst fears were realised a week later, when, as he and Rilma were
returning from Mr. Stark’s, they heard the sound of angry voices, as
they approached their home. There was no mistaking the speakers. The
first was their grandfather, whose tone, as well as words, showed that
he was in a raging passion:
“Out o’ ma house, ye uncanny fule, afore I brak’ this staff ower yer
thick heid!”
The reply was Gunwad’s, lower, and with an aggravating inflection in
the speech:
“Lay so much as a finger on me ef ye dare, ye ol’ Scot refugee. I say,
strike me ef ye dare, ye cowardly furriner!”
“I must get there before grandfather strikes him, or it will fare ill
with us,” cried Norman, rushing toward the house at the top of his
speed.