his ugly face bore a look of triumph as he
crouched over the weapon, and, judging from the blinking of his eyes, he
seemed humanly conscious that, having become possessed of my trusty and
deadly friend, he had me completely in his power. To obtain possession
of the weapon was out of the question; it would have been fatal to
attempt it.

Motioning the woman to seize the child and hurry forward without me, I
prepared to rout the enemy by some means other than powder and shot.
What means I intended to adopt I frankly admit I had not the remotest
idea. The incident, so unexpected, so strange, took me completely by
surprise, and it was some moments before I recovered my senses and
presence of mind. Then I remembered that grizzlies, despite their huge
bulk and ferocious tempers, are curiously alarmed by noise.

I had even heard that they had been driven off, with their tails between
their legs, by the mere beating of a tin can. With this idea in my mind
I hastily produced the metal cup of my flask, and striking it furiously
with the hilt of my hunting-knife, I continued to produce a din which
ought to have taken effect upon my four-footed adversary. I am sorry to
say it did not, however. Uttering the curious sound peculiar to
grizzlies, the brute made as though it would approach still closer.

The bear was somewhat lean after his long winter's sleep in some hole
scooped out of the earth, whither he had retired with a substantial
coating of fat upon him, as a protection against the chills of winter.

The nap had gradually reduced the thickness of this protection and now
the hungry animal, weary of search for berries and roots, contemplated
me with a look which seemed to express that a morsel of something more
substantial would not be out of place.

I commenced to retire cautiously, but I had not taken many steps when
there came a flash, followed by a sudden report, and I staggered and
fell on my knees--shot in the leg.

The bear had accidentally pulled the trigger of my gun, and the bullet
intended for him had found instead a billet in poor me. I tried to
staunch the wound with my handkerchief, but the blood flowed freely, and
I soon began to feel exhausted.

I felt my knees quivering and giving way beneath me, and a deadly
faintness crept over me. A mist came over my eyes, and I seemed to sink
into a deep sleep, the landscape slowly vanishing, and even the big bear
standing up before me disappearing in the dar