THE BLACK BEAR. 277 



"Nix has often hunted Bears with me," said Phillips, 

 ' ' and knows all the runs of the Bears. As Colonel A - has 

 not yet had a shot, I propose to try his nerve to-morrow. It 

 is the shortest route for us to get to our dead Bear, to cross 

 the river here and go down until we strike the tracks of 

 yesterday, and then follow on until we come to the bed 

 which the Parson found. Should the Bear not have 

 returned, old Kate will trail it up; no discount or odds to 

 be taken on that Bear we are bound to kill it. It is now 

 turning warmer; the snow has stopped falling, with every 

 evidence that we shall have as pretty a day as the past has 

 been blustering and cold." 



This plan being adopted, we were all soon sound asleep, 

 and slept until the negroes roused us to breakfast, before 

 the stars had disappeared. In less than an hour, and before 

 the rising sun gilded the tops of the trees and flashed its 

 rays on the icicle forest, I had arrived at the Camden road 

 with the wagon, and the negroes drove at a sweeping trot 

 to John Nix's house. It was not more than seven miles 

 distant, and I got there before the family had breakfasted. 

 I ate a second breakfast with John, and told him the occur- 

 rences of the day before and our plans for this day. 



In a short space of time he was ready to accompany me. 

 We galloped down to the bottom, not a mile distant, and 

 took our stands. 



I did not have to wait over half an hour before I heard 

 the whole pack break into one continued roar, bearing direct 

 to me. Then I thought they were going to pass me, and, as 

 directed by Nix, I rode about a quarter into the cane, until 

 I struck a slough, along which the Bears frequently ran 

 when pursued by dogs. This slough separated the two 

 dense points of the big brake. Stopping, I heard them com- 

 ing directly toward me. Dismounting, I tied my horse, and, 

 cocking my gun, stepped a few steps into the cane, so as not 

 to let the Bear see me should it run down the slough, and 

 yet be able to shoot either on the slough or in the thicket. 



It was plain the dogs were up with the Bear, and fighting 

 all they could. The noise the Bear made with its growls, 



