MY FIRST GRIZZLY. 41 



to still keep rising! Then he turned slowly 

 around on his great hinder feet to look 

 back; he pushed his nose away out, then 

 drew it back, twisted his short, thick neck, 

 like that of a beer-drinking German, and 

 then for a final observation he tiptoed up, 

 threw his high head still higher in the air 

 and wiggled it about and sniffed and 

 sniffed and bang! 



I shot at him from ambush, with his 

 back toward me, shot at his back! For 

 shame! Henry Highton would not have 

 done that; nor, indeed, would I or any 

 other real sportsman do such a thing now ; 

 but I must plead the "Baby Act," and all 

 the facts, and also my sincere penitence, 

 and proceed. 



The noble brute did not fall, but let him- 

 gelf down with dignity and came slowly 

 forward. Hugely, ponderously, solemnly, 

 he was coming. And right here, if I should 

 set down what I thought about where 

 father was, the soldiers, anybody, every- 

 body else, whether I had best just fall on 



