ing past the bear, and
although the animal was caught by the neck, he dared not trust himself
within reach of those fearful claws. It occurred to Charley that perhaps
he could strangle the bear, or even pull her from the tree. He did not
want to kill the animal lest he get into difficulty with the law and so
incur the displeasure of his chief. Nor did he want to tumble her to the
ground because that would certainly mean the breaking of his rope and the
probable loss of part of it.

"What are we going to do, Lew?" he called.

"There's a strong limb about four feet above her head," replied Lew,
peering down through the branches. "If you could get your rope over that,
we could drop her to the ground and strangle her until she's about all in.
Then we could cut the rope and beat it."

"That sounds all right," said Charley, dubiously, "and I guess we'll have
to try it. I see nothing else to do."

Fortunately his rope was long. He had taken a turn or two around a limb
before making his cast, and he now held the bear taut, with ease. The
loose end dangled down the trunk.

"I don't know about this," said Charley with a wry face. "It isn't as
simple as it looks. I'll have to unwind the rope from this limb and hold
it with one hand while I throw the loose end with the other. I don't know
whether I can do it or not. And how am I to get the end again?"

"Can't you catch it with your pole?"

Charley looked at the pole. He had let go of it when he noosed the bear,
but it had lodged in a branch within reach.

"Here goes," he said. "I'll try."

Cautiously he unwrapped one winding from the limb. Then bracing himself,
and pulling hard so as to keep the line taut, he unloosed the second coil.
The rope now hung free in his hand. The bear was not quiet for a moment.
She had struggled constantly from the instant she was noosed. She
continued to tug and pull at the rope. But she was at such a disadvantage
that she could not put her full weight into her struggles. Nevertheless
the strain on Charley's arm was terrific. To lessen the tension would give
the bear more leeway and so make the strain still greater. And to hold the
bear with one hand, while he cast his rope and got it in with the other,
Charley at once saw was impossible.

"I can't do it, Lew," panted Charley. "She's nearly pulling my arm off."

He gathered up the rope and put it back over the limb, preparatory to
taking a turn about the branch once more. While he was attem