k he'll attack us?" Lub asked.

"I hardly think so," replied the other, steadily, after closely
examining the appearance of the intruder; "that is, if we keep from
making him more furious than he is now."

"Guess he's some surprised to find himself shut in with four husky
boys?" suggested Ethan.

"And say, he looks kind of small to me," observed X-Ray.

"I was just going to tell you that," Phil went on to say; "I believe
it's only a two-thirds grown cub after all."

"But even at that he's a dangerous customer, with those sharp claws, and
his ugly white teeth," protested Lub.

"That's right," added Ethan. "If we tackled him, chances are we'd be
sorry for it, unless we had something to knock him on the head with.
That makes me think of my bully little camp hatchet. Watch me sneak it
right now!"

He started to move softly toward the spot where he had discovered the
article in question. The bear began to growl more fiercely than ever.

"Careful, Ethan," cautioned Phil; "take it slow, and duck back just as
soon as you've hitched on to the hatchet. Stop and wait till he cools
down. Now, only one more step; then you can lean over and reach it."

All of them fairly held their breath, for it was a toss-up as to whether
the suspicious bear would conclude to attack Ethan or not. The growls
and sniffing continued, but the boy managed to get his fingers fastened
upon the handle of his tool.

"Now, back up!" Phil told him.

Step by step Ethan pushed away from the dangerous locality. The bear did
not attempt to follow, but resumed his former way of pushing out his
snout, and sniffing. Something evidently smelled mighty good to him, Lub
thought.

"This is all very well," ventured X-Ray Tyson, who had also managed to
arm himself with a billet of wood, "but somebody tell me what the end's
going to be. Do we have to camp outside in the cold, cold world; or will
we invite Mr. Bear to skip? That's what I want to know. Phil, how about
it?"

By now Phil had realized that unless they did something to provoke the
bear to extremes they did not need to fear an encounter with his sharp
claws. A bright idea had struck him, which he hastened to bring to the
notice of his chums.

"If ever we go to tell this story, lots of fellows will give us the
merry laugh, you understand, boys," he remarked; "and if you're all
willing, I'd like to settle it so we'd have the best of proof that a
bear _did_ come down our chimney in the night time."