foaming and lashing and rushing upon its
way. For a part of the distance the bank was almost perpendicular, and
here the passer-by was protected from falling into the abyss by a
railing that was spiked to posts or convenient trees.

To-night, Pedro was sleeping soundly, his head pillowed upon his great
coat, that he carried in the spring and fall against inclement weather.
He no longer pillowed his head upon Black Bruin, who was chained to a
near-by tree. The beast now also wore a muzzle and this was one more
grievance which he nourished in his heart against the time of vengeance.

Black Bruin was not asleep, but was watching first his master and then
the flickering light of their camp-fire. As he watched and pondered,
the tyranny of his chain and muzzle grew upon him. The muzzle galled
his nose and the chain was a continual reminder of his slavery. Pedro
had prodded and clubbed him this spring until his body was sore. He no
longer had the slightest spark of affection for the man, but instead a
fearful hate that burned in his breast like living coals.

The sound of Pedro's deep breathing also filled him with a terrible
rage. It seemed as if he could feel all the prods that he had received
from the stick at once, and each stung him with a new pain. His breath
came thick and hot and his eyes glowed with all the deep intensity of
hate;--hate, that had long smouldered, fed with continual fuel, but
always kept in check, only at last to break out in a conflagration,
sweeping all before it.

At length raging, yet fearful, Black Bruin backed away to the full
length of his chain and began straining upon it with all his might. It
choked him until he could no longer breathe. Then he stopped for a
moment to recover his breath, and went at the chain again.

For half an hour he tugged and strained, choking and gagging until at
last the ring in his collar pulled out and he was free from the chain.
But he was not free as long as that sleeping demon by the fire still
had strength to pursue and recapture him. He never would be free until
he had killed him.

Next he lay down and began tugging at his muzzle. That too choked him
as he pulled upon it, and he nearly strangled in the process of
wrenching it off, but finally the hated thing lay upon the ground, with
the strong wires bent and the strap broken.

Then Black Bruin crept forward to within three or four feet of where
Pedro lay heavily sleeping, and stood there, wa