BLACK SWAMP 79 



which held the nest of the hornets, the racoon 

 stopped. He wanted the contents of that 

 nest. But he did not want to test the prowess 

 of its guardians, which were now, as he well 

 knew, all within, too heavy with sleep to fly, 

 but as competent as ever to sting. After 

 some moments of deliberation, he bit the 

 twig through and let the nest fall. Then he 

 scrambled hastily down the tree, as if eager to 

 see what would happen. 



His purpose, perhaps, in dropping the nest 

 was simply a wanton impulse to destroy what 

 he desired but could not have. Perhaps he 

 thought the nest would roll into a shallow pool 

 at the other side of the tree, and so drown its 

 occupants, after which he might rifle it at his 

 own convenience. Or, possibly, he calculated 

 that that would happen which presently did. 

 The nest fell, not into the water, but between 

 the up-curled forepaws, and very close to the 

 nose, of the slumbering bear. 



The bear, awakened and startled by its 

 light fall, growled and bit angrily at the intrud- 

 ing nest. At the same time, with an instinc- 

 tive clutch, he ripped it open, not realizing 

 just what it was. The next instant he knew. 

 With a woof of rage, he tried to crush it and 

 all its envenomed populace within it. But 

 he was too late. The great hornets were 



