98 The Grizzly Bear 



eral large boulders stood out of the water. Jim crawled 

 out on one of these and the bear sat down just above it, 

 and every time the bear started to move Jim made a rush 

 for the edge of rock and the bear turned back. 



On the opposite side of the river there was some heavy 

 timber, and I thought that if the bear got into this he 

 would surely tree. So I determined to drive him across, 

 as, once in a tree, I could watch him until the men at 

 camp hunted me up. I figured that if I did not return 

 before night they would start a search, and if my voice did 

 not give out, they would soon find me. 



In fording a swift stream where there is danger of being 

 swept off one's feet, a stout pole, used as a brace down- 

 stream, will often make easy a passage that would be im- 

 possible without such aid; and I now, therefore, looked 

 about for a pole, and finding one, started to drive the bear 

 across the river. When he saw me coming he started for 

 the other shore, and Jim, leaving his boulder, followed 

 close behind him. My own crossing was a more difficult 

 matter. The water was swift, the boulders were slippery 

 as glass, and it was all that I could do to make headway. 

 By the time I got across, the bear and the dog had both 

 disappeared in the brush, but an occasional bawl told me 

 that Jim was still on the job; and hearing a bark behind 

 me, and seeing old Pete, the mongrel, just entering the 

 water, I felt sure the hunters were coming and started con- 

 tentedly ahead. 



I soon came up with Jim and the bear, and whenever I 

 saw an opportunity to do so without getting cuffed, brought 

 my pole down on Bruin's back. The brush, however, was 

 so thick that it was hard to do the bear any harm, or indeed 



