156 HUNTING WITH DOGS. 



down below, and the sharp treble of the younger 

 dog's bark, told me something was afoot in that 

 direction. Straight towards me up the hill came the 

 dogs, and right eagerly did I look for a tree as 

 a coign of vantage from which to get a view of the 

 approaching game before he absolutely ran over 

 me. But there was not even a stump in reach. 

 Round me was perhaps a yard of almost open 

 space, but beyond this the briars formed a wall 

 impenetrable everywhere, except at the point at 

 which I had entered the little opening by an old 

 boar's run. To quit the opening by the only 

 apparent outlet, on my hands and knees, with my 

 tail to an approaching foe, did not seem pru- 

 dent : so I remained where I was, hoping I should 

 see whatever the game might be before it saw 

 me. Suddenly, though the dogs were still only 

 half-way up the hill, struggling slowly through 

 the brake, as impenetrable almost to them as to 

 us, right at my elbow I heard a heavy breath 

 drawn, half sigh and half sniff, and then a soft 

 shuffling of feet in the hidden places of the thicket. 

 Almost directly this was followed by another and 

 another sniff, and I knew that a bear was deli- 

 berately walking round me, trying to get out pro- 

 bably by the road by which 1 had entered. I 

 would rather not have been there I admit, as Bruin 

 fairly cornered is an ugly foe to face ; and I fully 

 expected that when the dogs arrived on the scene 



