oof of the pen a great dark body, dimly seen by the
light of the torch.

"There he is!" cried my father, as the bear dropped out of sight behind
the corral fence. "Look out, now! We'll get a shot at him as he runs up
the hill!"

But Big Reuben had no intention whatever of running up the hill; he
feared neither man nor beast, and the next moment he appeared round the
corner of the corral, charging full upon us, open-mouthed.

With a single impulse, we all fired one shot at him and then turned and
fled, helter-skelter, for the kitchen, all tumbling in together,
treading on each others' heels; my father slamming behind us the door,
which fortunately opened outward.

The kitchen was a slight frame structure, built on to the back of the
house as a T-shaped addition. We were barely inside when bang! came a
heavy body against the door, with such force as to send several
milk-pans clashing to the floor.

My father had hastily loaded again, and now, hearing the bear's paws
patting high up on the door, he fired a chance shot through it. The bear
was hit, seemingly, for we heard him grunt; but that he was not killed
by any means was evident, for the next moment, with a clattering crash,
the kitchen window, glass, frame and all, was knocked into the room, and
a great hairy arm and fierce, grinning head were thrust through the gap.

Joe, who was standing just opposite the window, jumped backward, and
catching his heels against the great tub wherein the week's wash was
soaking, he sat down in it with a splash. Seeing this, I sprang forward
and thrust my torch into the bear's face; upon which he dropped to the
ground again. A half-second later, Joe, still sitting in the tub, fired
his second barrel. It was a good shot, but just a trifle too late, and
its only effect was to blow my torch to shreds, leaving us with the dim
light of the lantern only.

"Into the house!" shouted my father; whereupon we all retreated from the
kitchen into the main building. There, while Joe held the door partly
open and I held the lantern so as to throw a light into the kitchen, my
father knelt upon the floor waiting for the bear to give him another
chance. But Big Reuben was much too clever to do anything of the sort;
he was not going to put himself into any such trap as that; and
presently my mother from up-stairs called out that she could see him
going off.

We waited about for half an hour, but as there was no more disturbance
we all went back