in to bathe, just like us boys, for the fun
of the thing. I don't see why he should have waited when he had the fire
to urge him on."

"Maybe he is swimming around the lake now," whispered Nellie, looking
over as much of the surface as was visible through the hot smoke.

"I shouldn't be surprised, though it is odd that I did not see him,"
said Nick, pressing his pole against the bottom; "he is not far off, you
may depend."

"There! didn't you hear him?" asked Nellie, a moment later, as something
like the grunt of a huge hog alarmed both brother and sister.

CHAPTER XXXVI.

AN UNWELCOME PASSENGER.

A second time a loud snort was heard, as though some large animal were
blowing the water from his nostrils, and at the same instant Nick and
Nellie caught sight of the huge snout of the bear coming through the
water toward them.

He was making directly for the raft beyond all question.

"By jingo, this raft wasn't built to carry bears!" exclaimed the
startled lad, who used the pole with all the strength of which he was
master; but, unfortunately, the bottom of the pond was composed of
slippery rocks in many places, and the blunt end of the crooked limb
slid along the upper surface of one of these so quickly that Nick
dropped on his side and came within a hair's breadth of rolling
overboard.

But he was up again like a flash, and toiling with might and main.

Rafts as generally constructed, are not capable of much speed, and
though Nick Ribsam got out all there was in the one which he had
managed, it was not to be expected that he could compare with the
velocity of a strong, healthy bear.

"He's coming, Nick! Oh, he will catch us sure!" exclaimed the sorely
frightened Nellie, edging so far away that she, too, was in danger of
going over.

"I know he is," replied the sturdy lad, working hard with the guiding
pole, "and I think he can beat us. Do you stay where you are, and don't
try to get any further off or you will be drowned. I'll bang him over
the head if he tries to climb on here and ride with us."

Such was the purpose of the beast, beyond question; and, approaching
fast, only a brief time elapsed ere his huge snout was shoved against
the logs, his big paws, dripping with wet, flapped out from below the
surface and both rested on the raft, which sank so low that Nellie
screamed and Nick turned pale.

Determined to keep off such an undesirable passenger, the lad raised
the stick in his hand and br