nts it is a
relief to do something, however insignificant. Gerard asked Denys to
lend him a bolt. "I have often shot with a long bow, but never with one
of these!"

"Draw thy knife and cut this one out of the cub," said Denys slily.

"Nay, Day, I want a clean one."

Denys gave him three out of his quiver.

Gerard strung the bow, and levelled it at a bough that had fallen into
the road at some distance. The power of the instrument surprised him;
the short but thick steel bow jarred him to the very heel as it went
off, and the swift steel shaft was invisible in its passage; only the
dead leaves, with which November had carpeted the narrow road, flew
about on the other side of the bough.

"Ye aimed a thought too high," said Denys.

"What a deadly thing! no wonder it is driving out the longbow--to
Martin's much discontent."

"Ay, lad," said Denys triumphantly, "it gains ground every day, in spite
of their laws and their proclamations to keep up the yewen bow, because
forsooth their grandsires shot with it, knowing no better. You see,
Gerard, war is not pastime. Men will shoot at their enemies with the
hittingest arm and the killingest, not with the longest and missingest."

"Then these new engines I hear of will put both bows down; for these
with a pinch of black dust, and a leaden ball, and a child's finger,
shall slay you Mars and Goliath, and the Seven Champions."

"Pooh! pooh!" said Denys warmly; "petrone nor harquebuss shall ever put
down Sir Arbalest. Why, we can shoot ten times while they are putting
their charcoal and their lead into their leathern smoke belchers, and
then kindling their matches. All that is too fumbling for the field of
battle; there a soldier's weapon needs be aye ready, like his heart."

Gerard did not answer, for his ear was attracted by a sound behind
them. It was a peculiar sound, too, like something heavy, but not hard,
rushing softly over the dead leaves. He turned round with some little
curiosity. A colossal creature was coming down the road at about sixty
paces' distance.

He looked at it in a sort of calm stupor at first, but the next moment,
he turned ashy pale.

"Denys!" he cried. "Oh, God! Denys!"

Denys whirled round.

It was a bear as big as a cart-horse.

It was tearing along with its huge head down, running on a hot scent.

The very moment he saw it Denys said in a sickening whisper--

"THE CUB!"

Oh! the concentrated horror of that one word, whispered hoarse