succeeded in climbing over that high stockade, and each
bear--for there were three of them--grabbed a pig, each one weighing
perhaps fifty pounds, and succeeded in getting back over the stockade,
and off for the woods ere the loud squealings of the frightened young
porkers gave them away. Of course, we were instantly aroused by these
unusual noises, and at once suspecting the cause, I gave instant orders
that the dogs that were at home should be immediately let out of their
kennels and put on to the trail of the bears. As soon as possible a
number of us quickly followed. Fortunately for us, the morning had so
advanced that there was sufficient light for us to see our way. We had
no trouble in reference to the direction in which to go, as the squeals
of the pigs and the excited barkings of the dogs were quite sufficient
to guide us. When we reached them we beheld a sight that made the most
stoical of my Indians laugh. Here we found the three bears brought to
bay. Each one of them was bravely holding in one forearm, as a mother
does a child, one of the stolen pigs, while with his other forepaw he
was giving resounding whacks to every dog that was rash enough to come
within range. My largest sleigh dogs were still out with Kinesasis at
their summer home, and so the bears were more able to repel the attacks
of these much smaller ones. Still there were some plucky ones among the
dozen or so in this pack, and they knew how to fight bears when they had
them on the run. But they were bothered to know what to do with these
big fellows, sitting here with their backs against a tree and a noisy
pig in one forearm while they used the other like a terrible boxer.

"From a distance we watched for a time the peculiar conflict, and
perhaps would have done so longer if it had not been that we saw one of
my pet dogs, a very courageous little fellow, make a too venturesome
rush and get within the sweep of that great arm. Suddenly the bear
dragged him in, and although the plucky fellow tried to use his teeth,
it was of no use. The bear hugged him to himself with such a crushing
grip that the poor dog's ribs were broken like clay pipe-stems. Then
suddenly the dog was flung quite a distance to one side.

"We did not want to see any more valuable dogs thus treated, and so we
at once pushed forward. When the alert bears saw us approaching they at
once started for the distant woods. Now the advantage was all with the
dogs. It wa