SAVED FROM A CHARGE. 155 



of an hour the flames began to leap about, and 

 Norman was driven from his position by the density 

 of the smoke which rolled up towards him. Bruin's 

 retreat now became too hot to be tenable, for, with 

 a grunting sort of growl, he broke down the nullah 

 not twenty yards from Mackenzie and Hawkes, both 

 of whom had returned to the edge of the cover, and 

 were watching the progress and effect of the fire. 

 Though so close, neither of them caught even a 

 momentary glimpse of the bear, who was soon 

 after tally-ho'd as breaking down the hill by some 

 of the look-outs on the surrounding eminences. 

 In a wonderfully short time, considering the 

 ungainly pace of the animal, the bear had 

 placed a mile between himself and the hunters, 

 but the scouts had held him in view nearly all 

 the way, and now declared he had entered a 

 thick cover in the bed of another nullah. Thither, 

 accordingly, the sportsmen proceeded as quickly as 

 possible. 



They were hesitating what next to do after 

 reaching the place, and Kugonauth, with some men 

 on the opposite side, was endeavouring to ascertain 

 the whereabouts of the game ; when repeated growls 

 a little below the hunters gave indubitable signs 

 that the bear was yet there. Mackenzie ran for- 

 ward along the path they stood on, and which 



