222 THE LAST DAY AT CHEE-HA. 



" Here lie is !" said G , before we had advanced 



twenty yards into the thicket. 



"Where?" 



" Before me. I cannot see him, but my horse 

 does, for he snorts and refuses to advance !" 



"We close our ranks, with finger on trigger, and 

 hearts beating with expectation ; but there was no 

 room for chase, or fight the tear lay dead before 

 us ! A grand hurra burst from us ! a grand 

 flourish of horns ! and my hunting-cap was whirled 

 aloft on the muzzle of my gun ! while the drivers 

 tore their way into the thicket on foot, and dragged 

 out the second bear to keep company with the first. 

 1 was delighted exalted overmuch, perhaps ! 

 but my pride was soon to have its rebuke. 



" Well," said Splash, slapping his thigh with 

 emphasis, and looking from the bears, which for 

 some moments he had been eyeing, to the piece of 

 ordnance which he had been carrying by way of 

 gun, as if to that alone should have belonged the 

 credit of such a shot " you are the luckiest man 1 

 ever saw in my life /" 



What a damper ! to tell a man who was priding 

 himself on having made a magnificent shot, that it 

 was nothing but luck. 



" I'll tell you what, Splash," said I, " to have met 

 the bears was my good luck, I grant you ; but to 



