AND OTHER HUNTING ADVENTURES. 151 



make a shure shot if I did shoot, if I could. And 

 the bear, he come out of the mill and rared up, and 

 put his paws on a log and looked at me, and I 

 said to myself, says I, ' Now Billy, this is your 

 time to shoot' ; but I wasn' t ready to shoot yit. They 

 was one more bush I wanted to cut out of the way 

 before I shot, so I cut if off and laid down my knife, 

 and then I took up my gun and tried to take aim at 

 his breast, but doggoned if I didn't shake so I 

 couldn't see the sights at all. And I thought one 

 time I wouldn't shoot, and then I knowed the other 

 fellers would laugh at me if I told 'em I seed a bear 

 and didn't shoot at him, and besides I was afraid 

 some of 'em was up on the hillside lookin' at me 

 then. So I just said to myself, says I, ' Now Billy, 

 you're goin' to get eat up if you don't kill him, but 

 you might as well be eat up as to be laughed at.' 

 So I jist took the best aim I could for shakin', an' 

 shet both eyes an' pulled. 



"Well, I think the bear must a begin to git down 

 jist as I pulled, for I tore his lower jaw off and shot 

 a big hole through one side of his neck. He howled 

 and roared and rolled around there awhile and then 

 he got still. I got round where I could see him, after 

 he quit kickin', but I was af eared to go up to him, 

 so 1 shot two more bullets through his head to make 

 sure of him. And then I set down and waited a long 

 while to see if he moved any more; for I was afeard 

 he mightn't be dead yit, and might be playin' possum, 

 jist to get ahold of me. But he didn't move no more, 

 so I went up to him with my gun cocked and pointed 

 at his head, so if he did move I could give him another 

 one right quick. An' then I punched him a little with 



