102 The Grizzly Bear 



Finally I saw a change come over the bear — the change 

 that marks the transition from doggedness to desperation 

 — and I knew that it would likely go hard with the next one 

 he grasped. This proved to be Jim, and wrapping his 

 forelegs round him the bear dropped on his side and be- 

 gan trying to rip the dog up with his hind claws. Pete 

 dove to the attack from under his log, but the bear paid 

 scant attention, and, hearing Jim's smothered cries, and 

 the bear lyingwith his head and backtowardme, I grasped 

 the knife handle by the extreme end, laid my left hand on 

 the bear's head, and in a last, desperate effort to reach a 

 vital spot, drove blade and haft both into the bear's side. 

 Then I leaped away, and I was not a second too soon. The 

 stroke — as though it had released a spring — brought the 

 bear convulsively to his feet, and I barely missed the mighty 

 stroke he aimed at me. But this time my thrust had 

 gone home, and, the force of his own blow carrying him 

 off his feet, the grizzly fell prone across the logs and the 

 fight was over. 



I had received no hurts other than the one in the hand, 

 and although I was covered with blood, Httle of it was my 

 own. Pete escaped without a scratch, but Jim, as far as 

 appearances went, was worse off than the bear. One of his 

 legs was so chewed up that he could not use it; his neck 

 was lacerated until it seemed as if his head was cut half 

 off, and there were several other severe cuts about his 

 body; but he was not subdued by a good deal. 



For a few moments, bloody and panting, I sat on the 

 fallen tree and watched the dogs worry the dead bear. 

 Then I rolled the carcass over and out of the arena and, 

 the way being a little downhill, and finding that by reach- 



