d to reach
the ground, for the noise did not stop him. Then the hunter ran a little
way to a windfall, and came back with the upper half of a dead sapling.
With this he began to prod the bear. Thereupon, Cubby lost no time in
getting up to the first branch again, where he halted.

"Throw the noose on him now--anywhere," ordered the hunter. "An' we've
no time to lose. He's gittin' sassier every minnit."

I dropped the wide loop upon Cubby, expecting to catch him first time.
The rope went over his bead, but with a dexterous flip of his paw he
sent it flying. Then began a duel between us, in which he continually
got the better of me. All the while the old hunter prodded Cubby from
below.

"You ain't quick enough," said Hiram, impatiently.

Made reckless by this, I stepped down to another branch directly over
the bear, and tried again to rope him. It was of no use. He slipped out
of the noose with the sinuous movements of an eel. Once it caught over
his ears and in his open jaws. He gave a jerk that nearly pulled me from
my perch. I could tell he was growing angrier every instant, and also
braver. Suddenly the noose, quite by accident, caught his nose. He
wagged his head and I pulled. The noose tightened.

"I've got him!" I yelled, and gave the rope a strong pull.

The bear stood up with startling suddenness and reached for me.

"Climb!" shouted Hiram.

I dropped the rope and leaped for the branch above, and, catching it,
lifted myself just as the sharp claws of the cub scratched hard over my
boot.

Cubby now hugged the tree trunk and started up again.

"We've got him!" yelled Hiram. "Don't move--step on his nose if he gets
too close."

Then I saw the halter had come off the bear and had fallen to the
ground. Hiram picked it up, arranged the noose, and, holding it in his
teeth began to limb after the bear. Cubby was now only a few feet under
me, working steadily up, growling, and his little eyes were like points
of green fire.

"Stop him! Stand on his head!" mumbled Hiram, with the rope in his
teeth.

"What!--not on your life!"

But, reaching up, I grasped a branch, and, swinging clear of the lower
one, I began to kick at the bear. This stopped him. Then he squealed,
and began to kick on his own account. Hiram was trying to get the noose
over a bind foot. After several attempts he succeeded, and then threw
the rope over the lowest branch. I gave a wild Indian yell of triumph.
The next instant, before I co