proverb
be true or no, this experience was realised by Roy on that day, for he
actually did find a bear in his trap! Moreover it was alive, and,
apparently, had only just been caught, for it struggled to free itself
with a degree of ferocity that was terrible to witness.

It was an ordinary black bear of considerable size and immense strength.
Heavy and thick though the trees were that lay on its back and crushed
it to the earth, it caused them to shake, leap, and quiver as though
they had been endowed with life. Roy was greatly alarmed, for he
perceived that at each successive struggle the brute was ridding itself
of the superincumbent load, while fierce growls and short gasps
indicated at once the wrath and the agony by which it was convulsed.

Roy had neglected to reload his piece after shooting the deer--a most
un-hunter-like error, which was the result of excitement. Thinking that
he had not time to load, he acted now on the first suggestion of his
bold spirit. Resting his gun against a tree, he drew the small axe that
hung at his belt and attacked the bear.

The first blow was well delivered, and sank deep into bruin's skull; but
that skull was thick, and the brain was not reached. A roar and a
furious struggle caused Roy to deliver his second blow with less effect,
but this partial failure caused his pugnacity to rise, and he
immediately rained down blows on the head and neck of the bear so fast
and furious that the snow was speedily covered with blood. In
proportion as Roy strove to end the conflict by vigorous and quick
blows, the bear tried to get free by furious efforts. He shook the
tree-stem that held him down so violently that one of the other trees
that rested on it fell off, and thus the load was lightened. Roy
observed this, and made a desperate effort to split the bear's skull.
In his haste he misdirected the blow, which fell not on the head but on
the neck, in which the iron head of the axe was instantly buried--a main
artery was severed, and a fountain of blood sprang forth. This was
fortunate, for the bear's strength was quickly exhausted, and, in less
than two minutes after, it sank dead upon the snow.

Roy sat down to rest and wipe the blood from his hands and garments, and
then, cutting off the claws of the animal as a trophy, he left it there
for a time. Having now far more than it was possible for him to drag to
the hut, he resolved to proceed thither with the rabbits, and bring
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