echoed the sound in a most bewildering
manner. Kit and the captain came along; and we rolled down another
fragment. Another growl.

"He's in behind this great cake that sets upright against the side of
the hole!" exclaimed Weymouth.

"Think so?" said Kit. "Then let's tip this large piece off on to it.
May scare him out."

We managed to turn it over the edge; when it fell down _smash_ upon
the cake below, splitting it in two. Instantly the bear, a great
shaggy, white fellow, sprang out, and ran round at the bottom of the
hole, growling, and trying to scratch up the sides. He had several
bloody streaks on him. Kit took a rapid aim, and fired a bullet into
his fore-shoulder; which only made him growl the louder, however. Then
the captain gave him a shot in the head; at which the creature tumbled
down, and kicked his last very quietly.

But meanwhile we had heard a great uproar and shouting off to the
left.

"They've started the other, I guess!" exclaimed Kit. "Come on!"

Just then a shot was fired, followed by a noise of falling ice-cakes.
We could see a head bob up occasionally, and made for the _melee_ as
fast as we could hop. The jam in this direction was not so high. The
ice-cakes lay flatter, and were less heaped one above the other. Cries
of "There he is! there he goes!" burst out on a sudden; then another
musket-shot.

Leaping on, we soon caught sight of the chase. The bear was jumping
from cake to cake. Raed, Corliss, and Hobbs were following after him
at a reckless pace; Bonney was trying to cut him off on the right;
while Wade and Donovan, with Palmleaf a few rods behind them, were
heading him on the left. Such a shouting and hallooing! They were all
mad with excitement. We, who had killed our bear, kept after them as
fast as we could run, but couldn't begin to catch up.

Bang! Somebody tired at him then.

'Twas Hobbs.

"Cut him off!"

"Head him!" was the cry.

"He's hit!"

"Head him off there!"

Wade and Donovan were actually outstripping the bear, and getting
ahead; seeing which, the frightened, maddened beast tacked sharp to
the left to escape behind them on that side,--going straight for
Palmleaf, who was now considerably behind Wade and Don. Instantly a
yell arose from all hands.

"Look out, Palmleaf!"

"Shoot him, Palmleaf!"

"Let him have it!"

"Aim low!"

"Now's your time!"

The negro, who had been running hard, stopped short, and, seeing the
bear bounding toward him, made a