assault her, when, to her relief, she heard
the barking of a dog, and the rumbling of wheels, at which the savages
took alarm, and in a moment were gone."

"And what," asked Mrs. Jones, "do the settlers think of this?"

"O, they only laugh about it. They don't expect any serious trouble.
They say that the chiefs have had a grand talk with the government
agent, and declare that they wish to be on good terms with us. But
some of our people do all they can to provoke the Indians, and say
they would like to have a brush with the red-skins!"

"But what's that?" he exclaimed, as loud shouts and the barking of
dogs broke on their ears. Mrs. Jones and Tom hurried to the door, and
saw some men and boys chasing a large animal across the prairie.

"A bear! a bear!" cried a neighbor, rushing breathlessly up to Tom,
saying, "Is your father at home? Tell him to come on, and we'll pepper
his carcass!" and without waiting for an answer, or explaining whose
carcass he meant, he hastened after the others.

The creature that they were pursuing was so fat that he did not run
very swiftly, and the dogs gained on him; aware of which, he was
making desperate efforts to gain the shelter of a small grove not far
off, while stringing along for quite a distance behind were his
pursuers. Some were hatless, a few had guns, but most were armed with
pitchforks or clubs; and one man, in his zeal, carried a piece of
rusty stove-pipe, although what use he proposed to put it to in
capturing Bruin, it was difficult to imagine, unless he intended,
should Bear gain the grove, to _smoke him out_ with it. The truth is,
he was putting up a stove in his cabin when the cry of "Bear, bear,"
interrupted his labors, and he joined the chase, forgetting that he
held anything in his hand. He was wiry, lank, and long-legged, with
sandy hair that came down straight and thin upon his shoulders, and
being without his coat, with pants that reached only half way between
his knees and ankles, he cut a ludicrous figure as he straddled on,
followed by a short, dumpy man, who, waddle as ambitiously as he
might, swiftly fell behind, without, however, seeming in the least
discouraged.

"There, they are surrounding the grove," said Tom, as the men and boys
spread out from the centre till they had encompassed Bruin's leafy
retreat.

Soon there was the report of guns, and not long after, the hunters
returned, looking tired and disappointed.

"The bear must have got away,"