" cried Maude, clinging to his arm.

"Don't hold me, child," he said fiercely, "leave my arm free;" and
starting forward, gun in hand, he made for the place from whence the
hideous half-roaring, half-grunting noise had came.

Before he had gone a dozen steps the sound was repeated, but away to
their right. Then came the sharp reports of two guns, and, evidently
seeing something hidden from her father and Bart, Maude sprang forward
while they followed.

"Don't go, Missy, don't go," shouted Juan, and his cry was echoed by
Harry; but she did not seem to hear them, and was the first to arrive at
where a huge bear lay upon its flank, feebly clawing at the rock with
fore and hind paw, it having received a couple of shots in vital parts.

"Pray keep back, Maude," cried Bart, running to her side.

"I wanted to see it," she said with an eager glance around at her
father, who came up rapidly. "What is it?"

"It's the cub half grown of a grizzly bear," said Dr Lascelles,
speaking excitedly now. "Back, girl, to the tent; the mother must be
close at hand."

"On, forward; she's gone round to the right," shouted the men behind,
who had been trying to get on by another way, but were stopped by the
rocks.

"Back, girl!" said the Doctor again. "Forward all of you, steadily, and
make every shot tell. Where is Joses?"

Just then the deep hoarse grunting roar came again from a hollow down
beyond them, and directly after, as they all hurried forward, each man
ready to fire at the first chance, they heard a shot, and directly after
came in sight of Joses, with his double rifle to his shoulder taking aim
at a monstrous bear that, apparently half disabled by his last shot, was
drawing itself up on a great shelving block of stone, and open mouthed
and with blood and slaver running from its glistening ivory fangs, was
just turning upon him to make a dash and strike him down.

Just then a second shot rang out, and the bear rolled over, but sprang
to its feet again with a terrific roar, and dashed at her assailant.

It was impossible to fire now, lest Joses should be hit; and though he
turned and fled, he was too late, for the bear, in spite of its huge,
ox-like size, sprang upon him, striking him down, and stood over him.

But now was the time, and the Doctor's and Bart's rifles both rang out,
the latter going down on one knee to take careful aim; and as the smoke
cleared away the bear was gone.

"She's made for those rocks yon