ally
came I felt that I was a full-grown bear, and no longer a youngster
who had to make way for his elders when he met them in the path. Nor was
it long before I had an opportunity of seeing that other bears also
regarded me no longer as a cub.

[Illustration: TOLD ME BLUNTLY THAT I MUST GO.]

I had found a bees' nest about ten feet up in a big tree, and of course
climbed up to it; but it was one of those cases of which I have spoken,
when the game was not worth the trouble. The nest was in a cleft in the
tree too narrow for me to get my arm into, and I could smell the honey a
foot or so away from my nose without being able to reach it--than which
I know nothing more tantalizing. And while you are hanging on to a tree
with three paws, and trying to squeeze the fourth into a hole, the bees
have you most unpleasantly at their mercy. I was horribly stung about my
face, both my eyes and my nose were smarting abominably, and at last I
could stand it no longer, but slid down to the ground again.

When I reached the ground, there was another bear standing a few yards
away looking at me. He had a perfect right to look at me, and he was
doing me no sort of harm; but the stings of the bees made me furious,
and I think I was glad to have anybody or anything to vent my wrath
upon. So as soon as I saw the other bear I charged him. He was an older
bear than I, and about my size; and, as it was the first real fight that
I had ever had, he probably had more experience. But I had the advantage
of being thoroughly angry and wanting to hurt someone, without caring
whether I was hurt myself or not, while he was feeling entirely
peaceable, and not in the least anxious to hurt me or anybody else. The
consequence was that the impetuosity of my first rush was more than he
could stand. Of course he was up to meet me, and I expect that under my
coat my skin on the left shoulder still carries the marks of his claws
where he caught me as we came together.

But I was simply not to be denied, and, while my first blow must have
almost broken his neck, in less than a minute I had him rolling over and
over and yelling for mercy. I really believe that, if he had not managed
to get to his feet, and then taken to his heels as fast as he could, I
would have killed him. Meanwhile the bees were having fun with us both.

It was no use, however angry I might be, to stop to try and fight them;
so soon as the other bear had escaped I made my own way as fast