A HARD CUSTOMER
"That's bound to settle it, one way or the other!" declared Tom, after
he had climbed up into his tree again, and resumed his former position
of squatting in a crotch, gun in hand.
"You mean about his being home, or away I reckon?" remarked Felix, who
was feeling fifty per cent easier in his mind, now that his chum had
carried out his little programme without being rushed by the bear.
"That's the idea," replied the other, keeping his eyes on the spot where
the fire he had kindled was burning fairly well.
"Plenty of smoke, if there is only a little flame," observed Felix.
"I wanted it that way; and so I picked out some green stuff that would
make a whole lot of smell, but not burn too lively, you see, Felix."
"Whee! I got a whiff of it right then; and say, if our friend is at
home, and can stand that smell, why, he's welcome to stay where he is
the rest of the winter, for all of me. It beats anything I ever
whiffed," and the Eastern boy held his fingers to his nose while
speaking, to emphasize his words.
Tom grinned, as if he really felt proud of that fire. A hot blaze would
have caused very little smoke; and after all might not have accomplished
the end they had in view.
"Wait!" he said, with a chuckle; "you'll see."
A few more minutes passed. Felix noticed several things, for he had come
to pay considerable more attention to small matters than before meeting
this cousin who had been brought up in the open, and imbibed many of the
instincts that govern the actions of Indians and veteran woodsmen, among
which observation stands at the head.
He saw, for instance, that the breeze was blowing straight toward the
face of the cliff where that hole lay; and as it came in rather strong
gusts now and then, it undoubtedly served to carry pretty much all of
the pungent, highly scented smoke into the yawning aperture.
And Felix also knew that it would drive this odor a long way ahead into
the recesses of the cave. If Bruin were at home, he could not help
getting a whiff of it presently, and smoke always serves to make a bear
both suspicious and angry. Where shouts of derision, and the singing of
songs had failed, a more silent and powerful agency would succeed.
And it did.
One, two, three more minutes passed away. Then Felix heard something
that gave him a thrill, and caused him to turn quickly in the direction
of his comrade, perched in the adjoining tree.
Tom nodded his head, and simply remarked:
"What did I tell you? That fetched him; and he's waking up!"
It had undoubtedly been a rumbling roar that came to the ears of the two
boys. Bruin had at last become aware of the fact that there was smoke
rolling into his snug retreat; and instinct warned him that smoke never
came without there being some sort of fire in connection with it.
Again they heard the heavy thrilling sound, and it was now more distinct
than before, which told them that the grizzly must be advancing
hurriedly toward the opening. Doubtless this was the only exit he had;
and alarmed lest he be caught in a trap by the fire, he was now
shambling along, bent upon seeking the open air before it was too late.
"Ready!" called Tom.
Hardly had he spoken than Felix saw the smouldering stuff at the mouth
of the cliff den thrown violently aside, as a huge bulk almost filled
the hole. Then there came into view the very largest grizzly Tom had
ever seen, as he hastened to declare, with boyish vigor.
"Wow! but ain't he just a jim dandy, though? Big as a house nearly; and
say, did you ever see a madder thing in all your life. He hears me
talking right now, because he's looking this way. Bet you his eyes are
that full of smoke he can't see as well as he might, and he's rubbin'
'em with his paws, would you believe it? Hey! you, we made that fire!
What d'ye mean upsetting it that way? Think you own the earth, don't
you? Well, come on, and have it out with us. Dare you to knock the chip
off my shoulder! Bah! you're nothing but a big bag of wind! Who cares
for you?"
Just as though the grizzly could really understand what Tom howled at
him, he immediately started toward the trees where they were ensconced.
"Oh! my, ain't he mad as hops, though?" jeered Tom. "Look at him shake
his head, would you, Felix? He knows we did it, and he means to let us
understand he won't put up with such a racket as smoking him out. Now,
don't be in too big a hurry to start firing. Take my word for it, you'll
have plenty of chances to fill him up with lead before he caves under.
Shake the limb, and holler at him, if you want him to pay attention to
you."
That was just what Felix did want. He was afraid that the bear would
know Tom had started the fire, and ignore the other boy. So he too
commenced to taunt the old fellow, as boys know how to do so well.
The result was just as Tom had predicted; for having his attention thus
diverted, the bear now changed his course a little, and came directly
toward the tree that bore such strange fruit in the shape of the second
human enemy.
What the grizzly thought, at being so rudely disturbed in his
after-dinner nap by all this shouting, and the smell of smoke in his
den, Felix could only guess, for by his actions alone could the animal
tell.
There certainly could hardly have been a madder bear than that one was.
He acted as though bent upon teaching these impudent boys a much needed
lesson. When they felt like playing any of their annoying tricks, they
had better keep away from his particular sleeping place, if they did not
want to get hurt.
"Get one in before he reaches your tree!" called out Tom; who seemed to
know what the tactics of the grizzly would be after this had occurred,
and that possibly Felix might not be able to fire with such sure aim,
once his haven of refuge were being violently shaken, as it would be.
So the Eastern boy, who had all along kept his Marlin leveled at the
advancing grizzly, sought to aim in a vulnerable spot; or at least what
would be reckoned as such with any other wild animal than a grizzly or
an African rhinoceros.
When he fired he heard the most dreadful roar that ever assailed his
ears. But to his surprise, the bear did not stop his advance in the
slightest degree, no matter how the small bullet "mushroomed" when it
came in contact with his body.
Felix hastily got his gun in shape to shoot again, and this he was able
to do before the animal succeeded in reaching the tree.
Another roar, more wicked than the preceding one, told that this bullet
had also lodged in the body of the fierce brute; but as before, it
failed to have any appreciable effect on the grizzly, save to arouse his
slumbering passions the more.
"Hold on tight, now, Felix!" shrilled Tom, no doubt itching to use his
gun, and ready to do so if he thought the situation began to look
desperate for his chum. "He's going to try and shake you out of that
tree like a wild plum! Get a firm grip and don't try to shoot yet
awhile, till he quits!"
The big animal reared up on his hind quarters, and as he did so Felix
could see signs of blood about him, which told that his bullets had not
missed connections, even if they did not bring him down.
The beast endeavored to reach the form of the boy, whom instinct told
him was responsible for his wounds; because he connected that puff of
smoke, and sharp report, with the acute pain that racked him.
Of course Felix was perched too far up in the tree for that, and the
most the eager grizzly could do was to come within six feet of him.
Then the monster hugged the tree as though about to try and ascend.
Indeed, the boy above felt a spasm of fear lest this was just what he
meant to attempt; and as he had seen black bears climb, he found it hard
work to believe that the grizzly was deficient in this accomplishment.
All at once the tree began to sway violently to and fro, with increasing
speed. Having been warned in time, Felix had secured himself against
being thrown out, although at one time he began to actually fear lest
the savage monster below might succeed in breaking the tree off at its
base; he was so big and powerful that few things of an ordinary nature
would be beyond his capacity. And now that he was enraged to the very
limit, doubtless he might accomplish wonders.
But fortunately that did not happen, and Felix breathed a sigh of relief
when, after testing his strength for a minute or two, the grizzly backed
off, to look up at him out of his wicked little eyes, and growl as he
dropped back upon all fours again.
"Bully boy!" shouted Tom. "He wanted too, all right, but he couldn't
quite spell able. Now, try him again, Felix; and watch out for one of
his rushes. Quit shooting when he tries that racket, and just hold on.
You can wear the old critter out; and say, that gun does send 'em in
like fun. I could see him quiver all over each time you pulled trigger.
But you'll get him yet, don't fear!"
Just as Tom said that last word Felix fired a third time, trying to pick
out a better place to send his bullet. Truth to tell he was more than
anxious to finish the game old bear, which he knew must be suffering
horribly already.
Although he was confident that he planted his lead in the identical spot
he wanted, still the only appreciable effect was to send the monster
furiously at the tree again.
Never did Felix expect to see such baffled fury. After finding that all
his terrible strength was not sufficient to shake the clinging boy from
his perch, or bear down the tree under his weight, as he had doubtless
done many a stout sapling, when wishing to feast off berries growing
beyond his reach, (if grizzlies do partake of such things, as their
black cousins have always done,) the baffled animal actually started to
gnaw at the bark of the tree, as though in this manner he believed he
might weaken it sufficiently to attain his ends.
"Now, watch your chance, and give him another!" cried the deeply
interested Tom, who was closely observing every little phase of this
strange fight, so one-sided Felix thought.
As he had by this time put his hand to the plow, Felix did not mean to
back out. He must have that grizzly pelt, if it took every ounce of
ammunition he carried on his person. And since the beast was so badly
wounded that he might eventually die anyway, he ought to be finished.
But somehow Felix did not feel as though he would ever want to go
through the experience again; not that he was afraid; but it seemed too
much like butchery to him, with the chances always against the animal.
And those feelings did him credit, too, even if they marked his decline
as a big-game hunter, for as such he could not consider that his quarry
had any right to live at all.
This time when he fired he believed that the bear was weakening. Tom
must have thought along the same lines for he immediately called out in
an exultant tone; for Tom being a stockman's son, only considered the
grizzly as a possible enemy of his father's herds; and on account of
previous losses from a similar source he bore the grizzly tribe only the
hardest of feelings.
Again did the wounded beast try to vent his fury upon the inoffensive
tree, biting and clawing at it in the utmost fury, as though possessed
of the one insane idea that in some fashion it had conspired to keep the
object of his anger beyond reach of his teeth and claws.
Between spells Felix sent in a fifth, and then a sixth shot. After that
he would have to reload, since he had exhausted the contents of his
gun's magazine, with the grizzly still on deck, though weakening.
"He's got his, I reckon!" said Tom, as the other was working with
feverish haste to insert another set of six cartridges through the
opening meant for this purpose, as well as to eject the empty cases
after firing. "Better give him another to wind him up, though, Felix!"
The seventh shot did bring the unequal combat to an end, for the gallant
old grizzly rolled over, and became still.
Tom immediately dropped down from his perch, and went over to where the
bear lay.
"Now, if we only had the old kodak along, we could take your picture,
standing with one foot on the fallen game!" he remarked, as Felix joined
him.
"I'm glad we haven't," said the other, simply and Tom looked a bit
puzzled, although by the way he nodded his head presently it was evident
that he had something like an inkling of the truth.
"Well, he _was_ a game old sport, all right," he declared; "and that
pelt will be something worth while. Reckon I'll have to get you to help
me take it off, because it's too big a job for one fellow."
Of course, after a little while, Felix got over the sensation of regret
in connection with the shooting of the monster. He realized that a
grizzly is really of no known use in the world and must be a source of
great annoyance to any stockman; so that he need not regret having slain
this fellow.
But one would be quite enough for him. Somehow, the sport was not all it
had been cracked up to be. Possibly it was because they had been
compelled to locate in those trees; but then, Felix learned afterwards
that those who hunt grizzlies frequently, have so great a respect for
their savage fury, as well as their ability to carry off lead, that they
think it no disgrace to place themselves out of the animal's reach
before opening the battle.
It was late that evening before the two tired Nimrods reached home; but
at any rate the last great ambition on the part of Felix had been
attained; he had killed a grizzly, and all unaided.
From that time on he felt that he would be satisfied to pursue the even
tenor of his way, and not allow vaulting ambition to draw him into fresh
fields of adventure after big game.