in and partly out of the saddle when the charge was
made.

"Run, Chet, run!" yelled Paul. "He is coming for you!"

In alarm he came up on foot, his horse refusing to budge in the
direction of the bear.

The bear heard Paul's voice and for the second paused and turned, as if
to make sure he was in no immediate danger from that quarter. Then he
continued to advance upon Chet.

Almost overcome with fear, Paul raised his gun and fired at the bear's
head. It was a chance shot, but luckily it hit the huge beast in the
ear. The bear howled with pain, staggered forward a few feet and rolled
over on his side.

By this time Dottery and Blowfen had their pistols out. Leaping to the
roadway, they ran forward, and in less than a minute the bear had
received six pistol balls and was kicking in his death agony.

It was Paul who helped Chet to his feet. The boy was as white as a sheet
and trembled so he could scarcely stand.

"I--I thought I was a goner!" he stammered. "What a big fellow he is!"

"The bar we war arfter last spring," said Jack Blowfen to Dottery as
they examined the brute. "See those marks on his side where we tipped
him? A good job that he is out of the way."

It was the second grizzly bear the boys had seen since they had lived in
that section and they gazed at him curiously. What white teeth he had,
and how powerful he looked! Even now that he was still and all was over,
Chet hardly cared to touch him.

"I want to see no more of him," he said.

"Well, I reckon he's the last in this neighborhood," said Caleb Dottery.
"He's the only one I've seen around in nigh on six years."

It was decided to leave the bear where he was until they returned. Of
course, it was possible some wild animal might come up and make a feast
in the meanwhile, but this could not be helped. To skin the animal and
hang up the meat would take too long.

Leaving Demon Hollow, they pushed along as rapidly as the horses would
carry them.

At the creek they stopped to water the animals, and here also partook of
the lunch which Blowfen had packed up before starting.

It was nightfall when they at last came in sight of the ranch home. All
seemed deserted. Every building was tightly closed and so was the gate
to the stockade.

"Maybe he has thought better of it and skipped out," said Chet.

"There is our stuff still in the road," returned Paul, pointing ahead.

In a moment more they had reached the stockade. All four rode straight
u