' climbin' higher an' higher, and the bar kep'
a-follerin'. By and by I got so high, that ther tree begun ter bend
backwards and for'ards, but ther bar kep' comin' higher and higher.

[Illustration: Jerry and the Bear.]

"I saw 'twarn't no use, so I made up my mind ter swing ther tree over ez
far ez I could, and drop and try my legs onct more. So I clim' a little
higher, and when the tree begun ter bend, that bar sot thar and just
laffed, if ever a bar laffed in this world. The tree kep' swayin'
back'ards and for'ards jist like a cradle.

"I watched my chance, and, when ther top come putty nigh ther ground, I
jist dropped, and, when I picked myself up, blast my eyes, ef thar warn't
ther bar, right side er me. Wal I started agin, but hadn't run more'n
fifty yards, afore I tripped and down I went. I knowed 'twas all up with
me then, so I jist laid still. Why, I was so scart I couldn't hev moved
ef I'd tried; but I did look up jist once, to see the bar set clus by,
watchin' me, and lookin' as mad as a wet hen.

"I never was so scart afore nor since. I 'spected every minute to feel
his teeth and hear my bones a-crunchin', but I didn't.

"Putty soon I heered somebody down in the woods a-callin'. I 'spectcd it
was dad, but I didn't dare to holler or make any noise. I heered 'em
callin' agin and agin; putty soon I jist looked out'er ther corner of my
eye, and see the bar was gone. At first I couldn't believe it, and
'spected he was playin' 'possum--waitin' ter see ef I moved, afore he
went for me. Well, I kep' putty still for a while, but not hearin'
anything from the bar, I finally looked up, and see that he'd gone for
good, and then I got up and started for home in just about ez big a
hurry, ez any feller ever went down a mountain.

"I hadn't got more'n half a mile afore I see a feller rite ahead of me,
a-leadin' that identical bar, thet bed been chasin' me all day.

"I never was so took down in my life boys, I wouldn't a bin s'prised at
anything, arter thet. I mustered up spunk enuff ter speak to the feller,
and he told me 'twas a tame bar, thet belonged ter him, thet hed got
loose thet day, and he'd bin up a-findin' him.

"Well boys, I never felt so ashamed of myself afore nor since.

"You may bet, I never told no one 'bout it afore, and I shan't agin.
That's all."

We were very much amused at Jerry's story, and the boys pronounced it
decidedly the best they had yet heard, and as the hour was late, we all
"turne