his
bearship, tumbled over each other until he was in a fair way to have us
all in a heap to devour at leisure.

"'Pretty doings this, with our backs to the game!--face round every one
of you. Seek him! Seek him, there! Now, you red rogues, give him your
spears while he is engaged in boxing over the dogs as fast as they get
at him. Ho! that makes him sorry,' said father, who was all alive with
sport, for the old bear was a male of the largest kind; and he was just
congratulating himself on the easy victory he was obtaining, when his
mate came with flashing eyes and ferocious growls towards us.

"I was the first to note her exit from the den, and drawing my rifle to
my shoulder gave her a ball in the side. With a roar of rage she
bounded towards me and giving her another ball I attempted to save
myself in flight, but my foot slipping on the snow, threw me on the
ground, at the mercy of the terrible brute. Father saw the affray, and
after discharging every ball in his rifle at her, clubbed her with
blows that shivered the stock of his gun into splinters. So I
afterwards learned, for the first blow she dealt me with her huge paw,
took me on the temple, and I knew no more of the terrible whipping she
gave me until it was all over. That was soon enough, for I thought my
last hour had come for many a week. The physician at the station gave
me over, and as a last resort the medicine man of a neighboring tribe
took me in hand, pow-wow'd me, and from that hour I began to recover."

"You really think that the medicine man saved your life, do you?"
queried Jane.

"Certainly--nothing can be clearer. The Indians know more of the art of
healing, than half of your pop-in-jay doctors."

"How about the noise: it must have set you most wild," said Edward.

"It was a little too strong, I thought at the time, but afterwards was
convinced it was all for the best."

"And the bears: were they secured?"

"Oh! yes, and the cub, too. But they told me it was a terrible fight."

"My brother has seen the efficacy of our medicine men. The Great Spirit
would assist his son to cure the young brave, if the white chief
desires it should be done," said Whirlwind.

"I am inclined to think it would help him, and at least could do no
harm."

"Let him try, uncle. I am willing anything to save him should be
tried," said Edward.

Jane was silenced, but not convinced, by her uncle's story; and though
doubting the termination, offered no more opp