A FRIEND IN NEED.
Herbert Watrous had been set upon by a huge bear, and, throwing aside
his Creedmoor, had run with might and main for a large stump, behind
which he took refuge. Had he climbed a sapling, he would have been safe,
but he was too flustered to think of that.
Dodging behind this shelter he squatted down, hoping that his enemy did
not notice where he had gone; but, when he heard the brute lumbering
after him, he hastily shifted his quarters to the other side of the
stump. While doing so, he emitted the ringing cries for help which
brought his friends in such haste to his rescue.
The situation would have been laughable but for its element of peril.
Darting to the side of the stump opposite to that of the bear, Herbert
would drop his head, and then instantly pop up again, like a
jack-in-the-box, to see what the brute was doing. The latter, it may be
said, kept things moving.
When Herbert lowered his head and yelled, his voice had a muffled sound,
as though it came from a distance, but when he shot up in sight, his
cries were clear and distinct.
The beast, although heavy and awkward of movement, managed to move
around the stump and to reverse his course with such facility that there
can be little doubt that he would have caught the lad, had not his
friends been so prompt to rush to his help.
Sam and Nick felt no disposition to laugh; indeed, they were so
impressed by the danger that, without exercising the care they would
have done any other time, and which they meant to show when talking of
the matter a few minutes before, they raised their guns together and
fired.
Although the aim was not as deliberate as it should have been, yet both
bullets struck the bear, though neither inflicted a mortal wound.
The brute stopped short in his circular pursuit, looked confusedly
about him for a second or two, and then made straight for the lads who
had fired upon him, just as the buck did in the case of Nick Ribsam.
"Scatter and climb a tree!" called out Nick, who saw they had no chance
to reload.
Now was the time for Herbert to recover, and reload his gun and to take
another shot at the brute, so as to draw him off from his hot pursuit of
the others; but the panic-stricken youth could not realize that the
danger was removed, and that his terrible foe was bestowing his
attention elsewhere. He continued calling for help in a louder voice
than before, believing that every minute would be his last.
Sam Harper whirled about to make for a sapling, but caught his foot in
an obstruction and fell violently to the ground. Nick was so alarmed
that he stopped to help him up.
"I'm all right," said Sam, "look out for yourself!"
But Nick could not desert him, until assured he was not mangled by the
fall, and by that time the bear was too close for them to escape by
climbing a tree.
It looked as if it would go ill with one at least (for no gun in the
party was loaded, and the brute was almost upon them), when most
providentially, but unexpectedly, the report of another rifle broke upon
their ear, and the bullet reached the heart of the monstrous beast, who
reared himself on his haunches and used his paws as though trying to
draw out the splinters which he imagined were thrust into his body.
Then he swerved to one side, sagged heavily to the ground, and then it
was plain that all was over.
"Are any of you hurt?"
It was the voice of the plucky Mrs. Fowler, who hurried forward with
anxious face, the smoking rifle in her hands.
Herbert was still peering from behind the stump and shouting himself
hoarse, with no thought of what had taken place within the last few
minutes. By and by, however, after he had been called to, he
comprehended the facts and came forth, when a general explanation
followed.
Although Herbert would not admit it, there was no doubt that of the two
shots which he fired at the bear only one touched him, and that only to
a sufficient extent to graze his body and to draw his attention to the
young hunter.
Herbert then dropped his gun and made for the stump, which was not a
secure refuge.
This took place so near the cabin-home of Mrs. Fowler that she heard the
cries for help, and, taking down her rifle, hurried to the spot,
arriving just in time to save the other lads from serious danger, if not
from death.
The boys overwhelmed the brave woman with thanks, and though she
modestly disclaimed her right to the bear--expressing her belief that
the two shots they had fired were fatal--they would not listen to it,
but they turned to, skinned the animal, and presented the hide to her,
regretting that they had not several others, that her husband might
collect twenty dollars apiece from Mr. Bailey, his employer.
"This isn't the only bear in the woods," said she, thanking them for
their kindness; "and some of you will see another before long. But this
will do for to-day."
They thought so, too; and, swinging their hats in the air, bade her
good-by and started homeward.
Sam Harper proposed that they should go out of their path to examine the
carcass of the deer, so as to learn whether the shot of Herbert took
effect; but that young gentleman was frank enough to admit, after his
experience, that it was impossible he had come anywhere near hitting the
buck. Accordingly, they continued homeward, Herbert going back to the
city a few days afterward to find out, if he could, why his gun so often
failed to hit the object he aimed at.