tching his master. He
felt sure that with one blow of his paw he could cripple him, but he
could not bring himself to strike that blow. The man might have some
new and terrible hidden power that he knew not of. He had seen him do
strange things and there might be still others that he had not yet
tried. Could he not make fire out of sticks that really had no warmth
in them? There was something fearful about a creature who could do
such things.

But one thing was certain;--Pedro would not strike him again. The
growing rage in his brute breast made that impossible.

If he would only move and get up and reach for his stick, then the poor
enthralled brute might act. This would be a match to the powder.

At last Pedro stirred uneasily in his sleep and groaned, and with all
the stealth of a wild beast Black Bruin drew nearer to him. He could
see drops of sweat upon the man's brow and a tremor shook his body.
Was this terrible demon really afraid? If so, Black Bruin himself
would no longer be afraid, so he drew still nearer and stood over his
master.

Then with a yell of terror that echoed through the cavernous woods,
Pedro sprang to his feet, while his hand reached for the stiletto that
he always carried. But quick as he was, he was not as quick as the
bear, for, with a motion like lightning and a grip like steel, Black
Bruin pinioned his arms to his sides and held him as though in the grip
of Vulcan.

"Heii, yii-here, you brute deevil. You let me go I keel you," shrieked
Pedro. But the words, that would have made the bear cringe and skulk a
few hours before, held no terror for him. He was master now, and this
man who had clubbed and prodded, sworn at, and outraged him, was a
pigmy in his arms. His powerful jaw too was close to the man's neck.
One crunch would make him lifeless.

Then Pedro, with more ferocity than judgment, began kicking, hoping to
frighten the bear, who had always skulked at his slightest word. But
the growl of rage with which Black Bruin greeted this move fairly froze
the blood in Pedro's veins, especially when he felt the great brute
half open his jaws as though to bite through his neck.

Then Pedro became wise and sought by kind words to persuade the bear
into releasing him.

"Gude Freetzie, gude beastie. Don't, Freetzie, don't."

But those platitudes were received as uncompromisingly by Black Bruin
as were the kicks. He evidently would have no parleying of any sort.
The man h