Bert Wilson in the Rockies

izzly

to tell that it was a grizzly. The little eyes incandescent with rage, the big hump just back of t

s with a red film and sounded like thunder in his ears. Then the flood receded and left him cold

ff, the bear would have been on top of him. The beast was not more than thir

to escape by swimming. But this he discarded at once. Fa

a deer. The bear lost a second or two in trying to check his momentum.

from the fleetest flyers of the world. But here conditions were against him. Vines reached out to trip him.

iston rods, but to no avail. The distance between them steadily decreased, and now he could hear the labored breathing of his enraged pursuer close on his heels. It was like a hideous

ath of the grizzly and the padding feet were terribly near. Then, just as the beast was ready to hurl its huge bulk against him, Bert swung on his heel like a pivot, doubled in his tracks and flashed back past his pursuer, jus

lunged along for many feet before he could turn,

side and swarmed up it like a monkey. He reached the fork and swung himself out on the branch with not a second to spare. The grizzly, frothing with rage

as he might have done had it been slenderer or younger. By the narrowest of margins he

tree he paced, growling fiercely, at times rearing himself on his hind legs and tearing savagely at the trunk. His open jaws, slavering with foam and showing his great yellow fangs, were full of fearful menace, and his wicked eyes glowe

clothes were torn by that wild race through the brush, his breath came in gasps that were almost sobs, and his heart was beating like a triphammer. He ha

e had powerful allies in sleep and hunger. If wearied nature should assert her rights and Bert in a moment of drowsiness topple from his perch, or if, driven by starvation, he should make a last despa

o his aid. He knew that his comrades would not leave him in the lurch and that they would risk their lives to save him fr

side, they might have worked their way around the end of the lake. But they thought the place was an island, only to be reached by water. Both were

was sheltered commanded a view of the canoe and the shimmering water beyond. It maddened him to see

o take such a chance! The words of Mr. Melton at the breakfast tabl

present but wait. He ceased his restless swaying to and fro and squatted

orking with feverish energy, almost beside themse

him gone. The absence of the canoe, however, followed by a glimpse of it on the shore across

ck started

, pointing to the woods

ed out of his usual calm by th

ht," was the answer, and then his voice ros

ert," they shouted wildly, rushing down to t

outcome of the chase had been hidden from their view. They did not dare to thin

seized him. "A raft. We've got to get over there with the guns. We've got

m inte

to make it and we'd be too slow in getting across.

dived head foremost into the lake, and with lon

his fear for Bert and his impatience at the delay before he could help him made it seem to him as

it was a water fowl. Then he looked more closely, and his heart gave a great bound as he recognized that it was one of his comrades, although

f. "They're two pals in a thousand. I knew th

nd was blowing directly toward him from the lake. He sniffed the air for a moment and then, with a threatening

bear should discover the swimmer, who was now nearing the shore,

an exultant "whuff," galloped clumsily back to the tree and made a ferocious swipe at his enemy, who pulled himself up just in time. Snarling and mouthing horribly, the bear once m

into it, and with powerful strokes of the paddle sent it flying toward the mainland. Not, how

voice that Tom had feared he might

m, and tried to add some

d to Dick, whose delight at the news of

g over, they hasti

?" asked Tom as he

sure, I unloaded and filled them up with ne

hands in attacking this monster of the wilds. But had he been ten times as big or ten t

paddle to the other side of the island and come upon the foe from the rear. If they could take him unawares, and pump a

pposed island. They rounded the point and disembarked. Clutching their guns firmly and straining their e

e're coming and he'll keep the bear busy." And the next instant

equently practised, and the counterfeit was p

nd then they heard Bert's

miliar sound, and it was evident tha

Dick and Tom pressed forward, their guns ready

in his pocket was a jack-knife, but he threw this with such precision that it struck the bear full on the point of the nose and evoked a roar of fury. A sho

ippoorwill was

d about in the direction of the shots. As he did so two more bullets plowed their way into his bre

lted him in his tracks. He sagged, coughed

r, dropped their guns and threw their arms about

hey shouted, laughed and grasped each others' hands, too excited for coherent speech. They had been through many perils

amed Bert, his f

s though they

eous picture as he rushed forward. They had forgotten to reckon with the wonderful tenacity of life that makes a grizzly bear the hardest thing in the world to kill. S

to stoop for them meant that the bear would be upon them before they could rise. With o

as though undecided whom to f

t the fugitive; now they were with him. The rage of the bear was greater, but his speed and strength

had figured on grabbing one of the guns and shinning up to the friendly crotch, there to despatch h

on its hind legs to grasp him, fired point blank at the spot jus

fell with a tremendous crash on the s

llet had done the work. A convulsive shudder ran through the bear's enormous length. Th

y a feeling of respect for the brute's courage. Never for a moment had he

ad now rejoined him

that old rascal but hi

m Fightersvill

d somewhat subsided, the

the nose to the root of the tail," an

of them all

over half a ton

shudder at the terr

ked Tom, "but I thought he had forty-two thousand wh

is what are we going to

hed Bert. "A little while ago the quest

ut spoiling it. On the other hand, we can't leave it here and expect to find it in the morning. The other animals will feast on the carcass, and the skin won't

teeth and claws, anyway," put in Dick. "

eral mound around him that the animals can't work through or pull away. Then in the morning we'll get some of the boys from th

ty and a few minutes of hard work sufficed to gather together enough to mak

, "it's the quick sneak for us if we want to get

out for the ranch. They made quick time of it, as the road was now familiar and led downhill all the way. Yet, despite their speed, dusk w

imself was deeply stirred at their narrow escape. He, better than any one else,

n up to-morrow to get the skin, and I hope that hide will be the nearest you ever come to seeing a grizzly again. You came through all right to-day, but it's the kind o

r eyes twinkling, "where are those

at each other

aimed Bert. "We for