What shall he do? If he stirs, they may grasp him. If he remains, they will surely scent him out, and take him. O, terrible moment! Where in the world are the company, that they do not run to his relief? His hair stands on end, lifting his hat so high, the bears _must_ see him now!--Shall he rise and shoot? He would be likely to miss, he is so awkward with a gun. Why did he consent to lie there? Why don't they come, as they said they would?--There! there! a step nearer, and the grate of their teeth sets him shivering! Now, now he must die!--Must he not? or what other sound is that more distant? Footsteps--a whisper, and--they come, they come! and away jump the bears, and away with dogs, axes, guns, and torches after them go the men of the hunt! "Now, Fabens, up and away; the fun's afoot, the fun's afoot!" cried Colwell. "Yes; but _such_ fun!" faltered Fabens. "Come on, come on! Mr. Bruin and his cubs shall have a good visit at their home!" cried Wilson. "Nothing could be more in the nick of time!" cried Uncle Walter. "We git 'em now!" said the Indians. "Seek 'em, Bose! seek 'em, Spanker! seek 'em Nig! seek 'em, Watch!" shouted Flaxman; and with flaring lights, and clatter, and howl, and laugh, and halloo, away they pursued the bounding game. Now they take the woods. Now the bears rush down the hill, cross the stream, run in the gully, and race away; and dogs and men follow close and closer on their track. Now they worry up a difficult bank, and scuttle and wheeze away, away. But the dogs gain upon them; the torches alarm them; the ground is not safe, and they climb the trees, as the hunters all wish, and seek concealment in the shadow of closely covering leaves. "Up a tree, be you, Mr. Bruin, eh?" cried Colwell. "What can you do now?" asked Fabens. "Down with the tree!" shouted Flaxman. "No, let me see if I can't fetch the fellow with my old gun," cried Uncle Walter. "I reckon I can reach him. I've picked bears out of taller trees than that." "What's there?" shouted Flaxman. "There's two on 'em treed. See the dogs tear away at the foot of yon maple! Let's slash down the trees, and give the dogs a little more fun. Old Spank's ready to jump out of his skin, he's so fairse. And see Nig on his hind legs, and Watch jump up and nip the bark from the tree. Down with them, and give the dogs a little more fun." "No, no; I'll see first if I can't tickle 'em with quicker fun," said Uncle Walter; and all agreed that he should give a try. So the torches were held away, that they might not blind him; and clear eyes searched to spy them by a few broken beams of the moon. "You'll have to cut the trees, or give 'em up," shouted Flaxman. "It's dark as Egypt up in them thick leaves," said Colwell. "Skin your keenest eye, Uncle Walt, and then I guess you won't spy your game."