hie. "It's lucky that he
is with us, for he is an old hunter, and he won't mind riding into the
bushes, and driving him out--will you, Arthur?"

"Eh!" exclaimed that young gentleman, who trembled so violently that he
could scarcely hold his reins.

"I say, that, as you are the most experienced in such matters, we shall
be obliged to depend upon you to drive the bear out of the bushes into
open ground," repeated Archie, who did not appear to notice his friend's
trepidation. "We can't all go in there to attack him, for he would be
sure to catch some of us. What have you in that gun?"

"B-u-c-k-s-h-o-t," replied Arthur, in an almost inaudible voice. "Let's
go home."

"Go home!" exclaimed Frank; "and without even one shot at that fellow!
No, sir. You've got the only gun in the party, and, of course, you are
the one to attack him. Go right up the path, and when you see him, bang
away."

"How big is he?" asked Arthur.

"Why, if he is a full-grown grizzly, he is as big as a cow."

"Will he fight much?"

"I should say he would," answered Archie, who was somewhat surprised at
these questions. "Have you forgotten the one you killed with your
knife? He will be certain to follow you, if you don't disable him at the
first shot, but he can't catch your horse. Besides, as soon as he comes
in sight, Frank and I will give him a volley from our revolvers. You are
not afraid?"

"Afraid!" repeated Arthur, compressing his lips, and scowling fiercely.
"O, no."

"Well, then, make haste," said Frank, who was beginning to get
impatient. "Ride up within ten paces of him, and let him have it. That's
the way you used to serve the lions in Europe."

"Yes, go on," urged Archie; and he gave Arthur's horse a cut with his
whip, to hurry him up.

"O, stop that!" whined Arthur, as the horse sprang forward so suddenly
that his rider was nearly unseated. "I am going home."

What might have happened next, it is impossible to tell, had not the
boys' attention been turned from Arthur by the yelping of a dog in the
bushes a short distance up the mountain.

"That's Carlo," exclaimed Archie. "Now we will soon know what sort of an
enemy we have to deal with."

The dog was evidently following the trail of the bear, for he broke out
into a continuous baying, which grew louder and fiercer as he
approached. The bear heard it, and was either making efforts to escape,
or preparing to defend himself; for he thrashed about among the bushes
in a way t