40 BEAKS. 



warning but little needed, for the young man had 

 not moved. 



At length the bear again came down on all- 

 fours, retreated another twenty yards, then turned 

 round, showed his teeth, and growled. This third 

 menace was too much for the game spirit of John 

 Day. 



"By Jove!'* exclaimed he, "I can stand this no 

 longer;" and in an instant a ball from his rifle whizzed 

 into the foe. The wound was not mortal, but luckily 

 it dismayed instead of enraging the animal, and he 

 retreated into the thicket. 



Day's young companion reproached him for not 

 practising the caution which he preached. 



"Look here, my boy," replied the veteran, "caution 

 is caution ; but one must not put up with too much, 

 even from a bear. Would you have me suffer my- 

 self to be bullied all day by a varmint?"* 



"A hunter, whilst pursuing a deer, fell into one of 

 those deep funnel-shaped pits, formed on the prairies 

 by the settling of the waters after heavy rains, and 

 known by the name of sink-holes. 



" To his great horror he found himself in contact, 

 at the bottom of the pit, with a huge grizzly bear. 

 The monster grappled him, a deadly contest ensued, 



* Washington living's " Astoria." 



