70 NEIGHBOURS UNKNOWN 



he might, perhaps, have had the rashness to 

 climb the tree and declare a doubtful war. 

 As it was, he noted only that between two 

 great roots, which sprang out like buttresses 

 from the base of the trunk, there was a space 

 of dry earth, covered with the minute elastic 

 needles of the tamarack. Here he threw 

 himself down with a grunt, and fell to rubbing 

 his face with his thick forepaws. 



But he was restless, the old bear either 

 because the grubs had not satisfied his hunger, 

 or because the sting of the hornet still rankled 

 in his jaw. Almost immediately he got up 

 upon his haunches, and stared all about, 

 sniffing, with his nose in the air. The 

 monstrous confusion of roots and trunks, 

 monotonously repeating itself as far as he 

 could see through the shadow, appeared to 

 offer him nothing worth his attention. But 

 presently he lurched forward, as if he had 

 made up his mind what to do. Shambling 

 grotesquely, but picking his way above the 

 slime as delicately as a cat, he kept on for 

 perhaps a hundred yards. Perhaps his nos- 

 trils had caught, across the stagnant air, the 

 tang of running water. It was running water 

 that he came to, for the brook, though often 

 foiled, often diverted, often turned back upon 

 itself, and almost lost, had succeeded in saving 



