ould be distinctly heard from his position. More
than once, when a brisk breeze swept up the valley, he was convinced
that his enemy was approaching him, and, every nerve quivering with
the expectation of the bear coming in view the next instant, he stood
a spectacle of eagerness, with perhaps a small portion of apprehension
intermingled. At length, from the frequent deceptions the distance
practiced upon him, he grew composed by degrees, and resuming his seat
on the stone, with his musket lying across his knees, thus gave vent
to his thoughts: "What if an Indian were to pounce upon me while I'm
sitting here?" Here he paused, and looked carefully round in every
direction. "No!" he continued; "if there were any at this time in the
neighbourhood, wouldn't Boone know it? To be sure he would, and here's
my gun--I forgot that. Let them come as soon as they please! I wonder
if the bear _will_ come out here? Suppose he does, what's the danger?
Didn't I grapple with him last night? And couldn't I jump on Pete and
get away from him! But--pshaw! I keep forgetting my gun--I wish he
_would_ come, I'd serve him worse than he served me last night! My
face feels very sore this morning. There!" he exclaimed, when he heard
the fire of Glenn's gun, and the report that succeeded from Boone's,
"they've floored him as dead as a nail, I'll bet. Hang it! I should
like to have had a word or two with him myself, to have told him I
hadn't forgotten his ugly grin. The men must have known I would stand
no chance of killing him when they placed me up here. I should like to
know what part of the sport _I've_ had--ough!" exclaimed he, his hair
standing upright, as he beheld the huge bear, panting and bleeding,
coming towards him, and not twenty paces distant!

Bruin had eluded the dogs a few minutes by climbing a bending tree at
the mouth of the valley, from which he passed to another, and
descending again to the earth, proceeded almost exhausted up the
ravine. Joe's eyes grew larger and larger as the monster approached,
and when within a few feet of him he uttered a horrible unearthly
sound, which attracted the bear, and fearing the fatal aim of man more
than the teeth of the dogs, he whirled about, with a determination to
fight his way back, in preference to again risking the murderous lead.
No sooner was the bear out of sight, and plunging down the dell amid
the cries of the dogs, which assailed him on all sides, than Joe
bethought him of his gun,