THE BEAR AVENGED. 173 



x\round the trunk was twisted a stout grape-vine, 

 which afforded the hunter a means of ascent, and in a 

 few minutes he was by the side of the bear. With 

 much exertion he managed to push it oyer so far that 

 the weight of one portion overbalanced the remainder, 

 and the carcase fell heavily, the dead bear seeming to 

 clutch at something as he fell, but his paws only cut 

 the clean air. 



But the animal was destined to be avenged even in 

 death, and his vengeance cost poor Uncle Ben dearly. 

 His dog Rush, anxious to be foremost in worrying the 

 bear, when dead, as he had been in the chase, rushed 

 in too soon ; the bear, a large full-grown one, weighing 

 five hundred and fifty pounds, fell with a crash upon 

 the poor dog, and broke both back and neck. The old 

 hunter was almost as much grieved by this unfortunate 

 occurrence as though he had lost a child; while his 

 sorrow cast a gloom over us all. 



'Ah ! ' said he, as he knelt by the side of the dead 

 hound, ^ he was a good dog, was poor Rush. I didn't 

 think a very great deal of him w^hile he was a pup, but 

 he soon fought his way into notice, and you all know 

 what a dog he was this morning. One thing is certain, 

 though, if, as the redskins say, dogs go to the happy 

 hunting-grounds, Rush will be certain to have plenty 

 of good meat and a kind master, for he was a brave 

 and truthful dog ! ' 



So died the first bear I ever saw killed in a regular 



