OMINOUS PREPARATIONS.

Happily there are few little girls in this favored land who are called
upon to go through such trials as fell to the lot of little Nellie
Ribsam when she was but eight years old.

It created much talk in the neighborhood, and she was complimented on
the bravery she had shown, while the glad father became more confirmed
than ever in his favorite belief that God helps them that help
themselves.

"'Spose dot she didn't try to helps herself some," he said, in talking
the matter over with Mr. Marston, "don't you not sees dot she would get
eat up doo, dree times by dot bear dot vos bigger as nefer vos?"

"It is a good thing for one, even though he be a child, to be able to do
his utmost when overtaken by danger--there can be no question about
_that_; but it would require a great deal of training to bring some
children to that point, even when they are double the years of your
little girl."

"Dot's becos dere folks don't not begins right; we starts mit Nick and
Nellie when dey was so small dot dey didn't know nuffin, which is why it
happens dey knows so much now."

Great as was the interest excited by the adventure of Nellie, it was not
long before it was thrown in the shade by another fact which was brought
to light by that same experience: that was the existence of a large bear
in the woods which lay to the east and west of the road leading to
Dunbarton.

This forest, as has already been intimated, covered a large tract of
country, in which, a few years previous, bears, deer, and wolves had
been hunted by many of those dwelling on the outskirts. Large inroads
had been made on the woodland, and here and there the cabin of a settler
or squatter was found by those who penetrated any distance.

There were clearings extending over several acres, while, again, a man
might wander for hours without emerging from the timber, which included
the common varieties found in the Middle States--oak, beech, maple,
birch, hickory, hemlock, black walnut, American poplar or whitewood,
gum, elm, persimmon, and others less important.

The pine resembled the famous white pine of the Allegheny mountains, and
predominated. Where there was such a large area covered with timber,
about every variety of surface was known. In some places were rocks,
ravines, hollows, and gulches; in others there were marshy swamps
through which a hunter would find it hard work to force his way.

Shark Creek entered from the east an