ish of the race. But Foster was not eaten up by Old Brin--of
course his pursuer was the clubfooted bear--and something extraordinary
must have happened to save him. An indefinite prolongation of the
situation is unthinkable. Wherefore things happened in this wise:
Foster's hat fell off, and while the bear was investigating it the man
gained a few yards and time enough to climb a stout sapling, growing
upon the brink of a cleft in the country rock about a dozen feet wide
and twice as deep. The tree was as thick as a man's leg at the base
and very tall. Foster climbed well out of reach of the bear, and,
perched in a crotch twenty feet above the ground, he felt safe. Old
Brin sat down at the foot of the tree, and with head cocked sidewise
thoughtfully eyed the man who had affronted him with a charge of small
shot. Presently he arose and with his paws grasped the tree ten or
twelve feet from the ground, and Foster laughed derisively at the
notion of that clumsy beast trying to climb. But Brin had no notion of
climbing. Holding his grip, he backed away, and as the tree bent
toward him he took a fresh hold higher up, and so, hand over hand,
pulled the top of it downward and prepared to pluck Foster or shake him
down like a ripe persimmon.

[Illustration: Prepared to Pluck Foster.]

A part of Foster's habitual attire under all circumstances in warm
weather was a long linen duster, and it is a defect of ursine
perception to confound a man with his clothes. When the napping skirt
of Foster's duster seemed to be within reach, the over-eager bear made
a grab for it, and released his grasp of the tree. The backward spring
of the tough sapling nearly dislodged the clinging man, but it also
gave him an idea, and when the grizzly began a repetition of the
manoeuvre, he shifted his position a little higher and to the other
side.

Old Brin was not appeased by the shred of linen he had secured, and
again began bending the sapling over. This time he had to bend it
further to get Foster within reach, but the flapping coat-tail again
tempted him too soon, and although he secured most of the skirt, he let
go his hold and the tree sprang back like a bended bow. Foster let go
his hold too in mid-arc and went sailing through the air and across the
ravine, landing in a thicket with a jar that loosened his teeth but
broke no bones. He said the Grizzly sat bolt upright and looked at the
tree, the ravine and him for five minutes, t