106 HUNTING THE GRISLY. 



and followed it at full speed as it ran towards a 

 small creek. At one spot in the creek beavers 

 had built a dam, and as usual in such places 

 there was a thick growth of bushes and willow 

 saplings. Just as the bear reached the edge of 

 this little jungle it was struck by several balls, 

 both of its forelegs being broken. Neverthe- 

 less, it managed to shove itself forward on its 

 hind-legs, and partly rolled, partly pushed itself 

 into the thicket, the bushes though low being 

 so dense that its body was at once completely 

 hidden. The thicket was a mere patch of 

 brush, not twenty yards across in any direction. 

 The leading troopers reached the edge almost 

 as the bear tumbled in. One of them, a tall 

 and powerful man named Miller, instantly 

 dismounted and prepared to force his way in 

 among the dwarfed willows, which were but 

 breast-high. Among the men who had ridden 

 up were Moore and Bates, and also the two 

 famous scouts, Buffalo Bill long a companion 

 of Captain Moore, and California Joe, Cus- 

 ter's faithful follower. California Joe had 

 spent almost all his life on the plains and in 

 the mountains, as a hunter and Indian fighter ; 

 and when he saw the trooper about to rush 

 into the thicket he called out to him not to do 

 so, warning him of the danger. But the man 

 was a very reckless fellow and he answered by 

 jeering at the old hunter for his over-caution 

 in being afraid of a crippled bear. California 

 Joe made no further effort to dissuade him, re- 

 marking quietly : " Very well, sonny, go in ; 

 it's your own affair." Miller then leaped off 



