pall over so many square miles of country.

Nellie, for the twentieth time, leaned her head forward and looked out
from behind the tree trunk that sheltered her. She saw the bear sitting
on his haunches some twenty feet away, looking steadily upward, as
though he were a charred stump, which could never change its posture or
position. Nick rested uneasily on the narrow limb, when he made a
movement which the quick-witted girl knew at once meant that he had
resolved on trying to do something for himself.

Carefully freeing his legs from the branch, he lowered himself so that
he hung by his hands, within ten feet of the ground. Hanging only a
second or two, he let go and dropped lightly upon his feet.

The whole thing took less than a minute, but the bear had observed it
almost as quickly as did Nellie, and the minute the lad struck the
ground the beast was lumbering toward him.

Poor, terrified Nellie screamed and ran from behind the tree, certain
that it was all over with her brave brother; but the latter did not
despair by any means. With astonishing celerity, he dashed to where a
large pine branch lay on the ground, burned in two; and catching up one
of the pieces, which was so hot that it scorched his fingers, he whirled
it about with such quickness that the glowing end made one steady, even
wheel of fire about his head. He recalled his experience in the woods
two years before when hunting the other bear.

While doing this, bruin was advancing rapidly on the boy, who kept
circling the torch until the beast was within ten feet, by which time
the stick was blazing as though it were a pine knot.

Then, with a boyish shout, Nick extended his arm at full length,
pointing the flaming torch straight at the head of his foe, as though he
held a Damascus sword of needle-like sharpness which he meant to drive
through the iron skull, and he strode directly at the beast with the
step of a conqueror.

Every animal, wild or domestic, dreads fire, and this strange attack was
more than the bear could stand. Without the least attention to dignity,
he turned about and swung off toward the lake, doubtless of the opinion
that there alone he could find safety from the element that drove him
thither in the first place.

Nick shouted and broke into a run, and the bear did the same! Just under
the tree, the lad stopped and put on his shoe, which had been somewhat
damaged by the claws of the brute. Then, being well shod and in no
fur