AN UNEXPECTED ATTACK.
The three boys had scarcely agreed to the proposition to follow the
hound, when Bowser, as if he understood their intention, rose from the
ground where he had been lying, close to the camp fire, looked sharply
out in the gloom of the surrounding woods, and then moved along the same
course he had taken several times before.
He did not trot, but walked with a deliberate gait, as if he felt the
importance of being the leader of such a party.
"It must be a wild animal," said Sam, in an undertone, "or Bowser
wouldn't act that way."
"It's the bear, of course; see that your guns are ready, and when you
fire be sure you don't miss," warned Herbert.
An idea suddenly occurred to Nick Ribsam.
"All wild animals are afraid of fire: let's each take a torch to keep
him off."
The others eagerly caught up a blazing brand and strode forward with
more confidence than ever.
Herbert Watrous, who was sensible that he had not made such an
exhibition before the others as he desired, placed himself at the head
of the little company.
He hardly would have done this, had he not been certain that the flaming
brands would act as a shield to keep away the wild animal, whatever its
nature.
Each lad found it a little awkward to carry his loaded and cocked rifle
in one hand and the flaming stick of wood in the other. It cannot be
said there was any special difficulty in the task itself, but if a
crisis came the boy would have to surrender one of his weapons.
The young hunters formed a picturesque group as they moved forward in
Indian file, each holding a burning torch above his head and swinging it
so as to keep the blaze going, while his gun was trailed in the other
hand.
The hound Bowser was at the head, Herbert Watrous next, Sam Harper
followed, and Nick Ribsam, who still limped slightly, brought up the
rear.
The hound showed an intelligence which would have been surprising but
for his action respecting the rattlesnake. He kept on a slow walk, so as
not to leave his friends, and now and then looked at them, as if to make
sure they were not trying to shrink from an important duty.
"Keep your torches going," called out Herbert, in a husky whisper, as he
swung his own so vigorously that a large piece dropped off, and, falling
on his foot, caused him to leap up with an exclamation of affright.
The fact was, they had gone no more than a hundred feet from the camp
fire when Herbert began to feel that he had not shown enough care in
picking out his torch, for the blaze was feeble, and, in spite of
continued nursing, showed a tendency to collapse altogether.
"Keep close to me, boys," he said, waiting for Sam to come still nearer,
"for I don't like the way this torch is behaving; I believe it is going
out altogether, and I think I'll get a better--"
"_Look out! there he is now!_" exclaimed Sam, in no little excitement.
As he uttered the warning words, Bowser turned squarely about and ran
back to where his master had halted with the smoking torch, and crouched
at his feet, whining and appealing for protection against some enemy.
Just then a savage sniff was heard, followed instantly by the sound of
hoofs, as the unknown animal charged upon Herbert Watrous, who was
whirling his half-expired torch around his head with such swiftness that
it made a ring of fire, similar to those which all boys delight to look
upon during the pyrotechnic displays on the Fourth of July.
Herbert was so impressed with the importance of this action, that he
threw all his energy in it, stooping down and rising on his tip-toes
with the motion of the torch, and grunting hard and with much
regularity, as he always did when exerting himself with unusual vigor.
He caught the warning cry of Sam and the rattle of the hoofs at the same
instant.
"_Shoot him! Shoot him!_" he shouted to his friends, who could not gain
the view of the beast necessary to make the shot safe for Herbert
himself.
The savage creature, from some reason, probably because the torch was
less formidable, made for the city youth, who was not aware of his
danger until too late.
The brute went directly between his outspread feet, and, lifting him on
his back, carried him several paces, when Herbert, his gun, torch, and
himself, mixed up in great confusion, rolled off backward, turning a
partial somersault and landing solidly on his head, his gun going off in
the confusion and adding to it.
Sam Harper threw down his torch, so as to use his rifle, but he saw
Herbert's dilemma and waited the chance to shoot without danger of
harming him; but the partial extinguishment of his own torch, and the
total blotting out of Herbert's, rendered the risk still greater.
While he stood, with gun partly raised and hand on the trigger, Herbert
rolled off, but Sam had not time to catch the fact when the beast shot
between his legs, and he felt himself lifted off his feet and fairly
whizzing through the air.
Nick Ribsam's torch was burning brightly and illuminated the whole
scene. He was in a stooping position, holding his flaming brand so he
could see everything, and he was laughing so hard that he could hardly
keep from falling to the ground from weakness.
He had recognized the animal, which they had held in such terror, as a
large hog that had doubtless wandered in the woods so long with his
mates, eating the acorns and nuts fallen from the trees, that he was
half wild and ready to attack any one who came near him.
The hog was a lank, bony fellow, with great strength and swiftness of
gait, and, like his fiercer brother the wild boar of Europe, he
possessed undoubted courage.
"Well, if that ain't the funniest sight I ever saw!" roared Nick,
bending himself almost double with laughter; "we thought it was a bear,
and I guess Herbert and Sam are sure it is a royal Bengal tiger or mad
elephant--"