land toward which he was swimming, he accepted the situation and
struck off for a large island that seemed to be densely covered with
trees and underbrush.

Nearer and nearer came the boats, propelled so vigorously by the
muscular, excited men, whose great oars rose and fell with all the
precision of clockwork, as they saw they were sure of gaining on their
prey.

As Big Tom's boat was at the front, he said to the excited boys, who
could hardly restrain themselves:

"You boys want to shoot him?"

Of course they did. What boy under similar circumstances would not have
given almost anything for a shot at a bear in a position like this?

So the guns were quickly loaded, and under Tom's direction the boys were
given a position one after another in the stern of the boat. Grandly
did the men row so as to bring the bear within range ere the island
should be reached. When the bear was about two hundred feet from shore
Tom, who had had some difficulty in restraining the boys from firing,
now ordered the men to cease rowing, and, as had been arranged with the
boys, he gave the word to Sam to fire. Quickly rang out the report of
his gun.

"Did you hit him?" said Big Tom.

"I think I did," was Sam's odd reply; "for see, he is swimming faster
than he did before I fired."

This quaint answer was met by shouts of laughter from all who understood
its comical meaning.

"Now, Frank, it is your turn," said Big Tom.

Carefully aiming for his head--and really there was not much of it to be
seen, for a bear swims low in the water--Frank fired, and a howl and a
vigorous shaking of the head told that he had been hit somewhere, but
not enough to stop his progress. The boat, under the momentum it had
received from the oars, was still moving on about as fast as the bear
was able to swim.

"Now, Alec," said Big Tom, as the lad took his position in the stern of
the boat, "when he tries to run through the shallow water near those
rocks, your turn comes. Hit him behind the shoulder, good young
Scotchman."

At the kindly mention of his nationality the blood of Alec suddenly
rose, and he felt his hand grip that gun and his eye strangely brighten,
and he resolved if possible he would make the shot of his life.
Steadying himself, he waited until the bear was exactly in the place and
position mentioned by the experienced old hunter, who stood just behind
him. Then he fired. As the report rang out there was also heard a dull
thud,