rubby
cinquefoil gave richer notes of colour, while, to the keen-eyed,
restless boy, there was ever the hope of some wild animal--a fox, a
deer, or perhaps even a bear--being sighted as they advanced.

It was not all plain sailing, however. In some places, the current was
so strong that it became necessary to resort to tracking. Only the
women and children remained in the boat, while the men, taking hold of
a line fastened to the foot of the mast, tugged and toiled along the
river bank, one-half their number working at a time, and then being
relieved by the other; thus dragging the clumsy craft forward at the
rate of about two miles an hour.

Andrew Macrae did not shirk his share of the hard work, but of course
Hector was not expected to join the trackers, and so, accompanied by
Dour and Dandy, he scampered freely along the top of the bank, being
bidden by his father not to roam out of sight.

For some time he obeyed this injunction implicitly. But, on towards
mid-day, the collies caught a glimpse of something that caused them to
dart off into the woods, barking furiously. Carried away by
excitement, Hector followed them, running at top speed straight away
from the river.

He could easily hear the dogs when he could not see them, and so,
recking nothing of what might happen, he raced after them, until
presently the change in their barking announced that whatever animal it
was they had been chasing, they had brought it to bay.

A moment later, he came out into a little glade at the farther side of
which a big black bear stood upon its hind legs, in front of a great
tree, and made furious efforts to seize Dour and Dandy with its
forepaws, or to deal them such buffets that they would never bark again.

It was a thrilling spectacle for the most experienced hunter, but for
Hector, who had never seen any kind of a bear before, and whose
generous heart was at once filled with anxiety for the dogs that were
so dear to him, it simply made him forget himself entirely.

Rushing forward, he shouted: 'Leave them alone, you brute! Don't you
hurt my dogs!'

Considering that the dogs must have started the row, by finding the
bear in the first instance, this was rather unfair to Bruin. But
Hector had no thought for the exact justice of the case. His one
concern was for the dogs.

He had picked up a stout stick in the course of his ramble, and this he
now swung above his head in threatening fashion, little knowing that,