for the bear in
the trap was his mate.

"He is coming for you!" cried Shep. What he said was true; the bear
was indeed coming for Giant. He stood up on his hind legs and
confronted the young hunter. A moment more and his powerful paw
must have knocked Giant down and perhaps have killed the lad.

But Snap had somewhat recovered from his astonishment, and raising
his shotgun quickly, he pulled the trigger.

The dose of shot took the bear in the side of the face and stung
him so bitterly that he fell back a few steps. But this was only
for the moment. Soon he gathered himself once more and then turned
upon Snap.

"Shoot him!" cried the young leader of the gun club and a second later
came the crack of the rifle that Shep carried. The bullet pierced
the bear's side and he rolled over and over in pain.

"Good for you, Shep!" sang out Snap. "Shoot him again, somebody!"

For an answer, both Whopper and Giant fired their shotguns and
the bear received both charges in his rump. Again he rolled over
and over, uttering a roar that could be heard for a long distance.
He tried to arise and did so once, dragging himself toward Whopper,
who lost no time in retreating.

By this time Snap was ready for another shot, and growing bolder,
he watched his chance, ran in and let the bear have the buckshot
directly between the eyes. Then Shep took a second shot also, hitting
Bruin in the throat. This was too much for the bear, and with a
quiver and a gasp he sank in a heap, and a moment later breathed
his last.

"Is he---he dead?" gasped Giant, after the bear had been quiet for
a full minute.

"I think so," answered Snap. "But don't go near him yet---he may be
playing a trick on us."

"I am not going near him."

"The bear in the trap is alive!" called out Whopper, who had just
made an examination.

All lost no time in reloading their weapons, and then they peered
into the trap. The bear under the logs and stones gave a grunt of
pain and rage.

"I'll fix her," said Snap, and, drawing close, let drive at the bear's
head. It was a telling shot, and soon the bear stretched out, and
then the battle with the two creatures came to an end.

"What a magnificent haul!" cried Giant, after they were certain both
bears were dead.

"I wonder what Ham Spink and his crowd would say to this?" came
from Snap.

"They wouldn't believe it unless they saw it," returned Whopper.
"Boys, do you know what I think? I think we ought t