"You wouldn't have known what hurt you, if it had struck this tree; and there's a little satisfaction in that, Roger. But, when I get my gun loaded, I mean to climb up, and take an observation." "How lucky that we've got that rope to help out," remarked Roger; "for the inside of this old tree feels as smooth as anything, because the bear has clawed his way up and down so many times. We would have had a hard job getting up, only for that." "Oh! there are ways, if you only bother thinking them out," observed the other boy. "With two of us down here, one could climb on the shoulders of the other and, after he got out, help his comrade with his hands. Oh! you're off, are you? I wondered if you would wait, and let me go first for a change. But, now that you're half-way up, keep right on, and tell me how things look to you. Be careful how you poke your head out, because, after all, the bear might be waiting for us." Roger had little difficulty in reaching the opening. He was so nimble that he could climb any tree like a monkey; but, remembering the warning of his cousin, he tried to take an observation before thrusting his head out. "All clear, here, Dick!" he called, joyfully; "you gave him a scare, let me tell you--chances are he's running yet. And better still, the clouds have broken across the river, for, would you believe it, the sun's peeping out! Better come up, as the rain's stopped now." That was good news for the boy in the hollow tree, and he lost no time in following his companion. Presently both were perched upon the wet limbs, looking around. "You wounded the bear, Dick, for, see, here are blood marks on the bark," cried Roger, pointing as he spoke. "Which I am sorry for," was the reply, "because I never like to hurt an animal unless I want him for food. And we couldn't think of trying to follow the trail of the bear at this late hour. Mother might be worried if we didn't come home by dark, after such a sudden storm. So let's head back to the boat, and, if the waves have gone down enough, we'll push out for the other bank." "Whew! did you ever see such big bear tracks, Dick?" exclaimed Roger, as he bent down to examine the imprints. "The chances are, now, we'll never set eyes on anything to beat that in all our lives again;" but, when the boy made that statement, and believed what he was saying, too, he could not possibly foresee the time when he and his cousin would look upon the distant Rocky Mountains, just then almost unknown to white men, and view that greatest of all bears, the terrible grizzly of the foothills. Yet that experience was before them, and nearer than any one could dream. "Come on, we had better be in a hurry, Roger," the other called out; "because already it is getting pretty close to sunset, and with so many clouds overhead, darkness is apt to come along soon afterwards. And you know it isn't safe upon the big river after night sets in."