ardly a second thought concerning what he was doing, Dave raised
his rifle, took quick aim and fired at the bear. Then he fired a second
shot, and followed this up with a third.

At the first shot the bear dropped his hold and swung around, uttering a
loud snort of pain as he did so. He had been struck in the back, for the
youth had not dared to aim too close to Snogger. Then, thinking that he
had been hurt by the man before him, the animal made a leap and sent the
cowboy sprawling. As he stood over his victim the second shot hit him in
the hind quarters, causing him to whirl around. Then the third shot
landed in his side, and made him double up like a ball and roll over and
over.

[Illustration: Dave seized a fair-sized stone and hurled it at the bear.
--Page 293.]

"Kill him! Kill him!" came faintly from Hank Snogger. "Don't let him git
at me ag'in!"

Dave tried to fire another shot, but for some reason then unknown the
rifle refused to work. The bear was rolling over and over and threatened
each instant to roll on the cowboy and crush him. Snogger was so weak he
was unable to save himself or do anything in his own defense.

Dave glanced around and his eye fell on the loose stones, some of which
had caused him a fall. He dropped his rifle, seized a fair-sized stone
and hurled it at the bear. The youth's aim was good, and the missile
landed on bruin's head, all but stunning him.

"That's it! Gi--give him ano--another!" gasped Hank Snogger. He had
raised himself up on one elbow and was looking at Dave pleadingly. He
was too weak to get to his feet, for his fight with the bear had lasted
for some time before Dave had put in an appearance.

The boy from Crumville was not slow to pick up and throw another stone,
and this took the bear in the side, causing him to grunt and snort in
pain and rage. Then Dave got a stone of extra size and aimed again for
the animal's head. The missile went true, and with his skull crushed,
bruin stretched out and lay still.

"Is he--is he dead?" gasped Hank Snogger, hoarsely.

"I think so," answered Dave. He was trembling from the excitement and
his breath came thick and fast.

"I--I thought I--I was done for!" added the cowboy, and sank flat on his
back and closed his eyes.

Not without difficulty Dave got down to where the man lay. He found the
bear stone dead and that the cowboy had fainted. He procured some water
from a nearby brook and washed Snogger's face and soon revived t