With improvised shovels and brooms they set to work to clear the snow and stones from in front of the shelter. It was hard work, but after such a scare they did not mind it. They were thankful that matters were not worse. Supposing the top of the cave had come down, what then? Most likely every one of them would have been killed. At last Jack declared they had done enough for that night. “We can finish up in the morning,” he said. “Let us start up the fire afresh and go to bed.” “I’m willing,” returned Andy. “My back is nearly broken from handling this home-made shovel.” The boys started to go back into the cave, when, suddenly, Pickles, who was looking up at the top of the cliff, let out an unearthly yell and clutched Harry’s arm convulsively. “Fo’ de sake ob goodness!” “What’s it, Pickles?” questioned Harry, quickly. “What has frightened you?” There was no need for the colored youth to answer. A loud growl rang in the ears of all the boys, and the next instant down from the top of the cliff leaped a big, brown bear into their very midst. CHAPTER XXXVII. END OF THE TOUR. It was quite likely that the big brown bear which had thrust itself among the members of the Zero Club so unceremoniously had had its winter habitation somewhere along the top of the cliff, and that the snow, ice and landslide had brought it forth to see the cause of the disturbance. Evidently, it imagined that the boys had brought about the ruin, for it was thoroughly enraged, and, as soon as it landed, stood up on its hind legs to embrace Harry, who happened to be a trifle closer than the others. Harry lost no time in leaping out of reach, and then the great bear turned upon Jack, almost knocking him down with a savage blow from one paw. “Run! run!” screamed Andy. “Run, Jack, or he will kill you!” With an effort, Jack regained his balance, and then he took Andy’s advice, as did indeed all of the others. They ran in every direction, and in less than half a minute the bear had the field entirely to himself. At first bruin appeared on the point of following them into the woods, but he stopped short and sniffed the air. The smell of the cooked meat in the cave reached him, and, turning, he disappeared inside of the shelter. “He has gone into the cave!” exclaimed Boxy to Harry, breathlessly. “Good-by to all our meat!” “If he only takes the meat and gets out I won’t care,” put in Andy. “My, but he nearly scared me out of my wits!” “I doan’ want nuffin’ to do wid dat chap,” remarked Pickles, with a grave shake of his woolly head. “He is wuss nor all de wolves an’ wildcats put togedder, ’deed he is!” “Come on to where we can look into the cave,” said Harry, and they moved to another spot, where Jack presently joined them. “By the boots! but I had a narrow escape!” said Jack, with a shiver. “That crack from the bear’s paw nearly knocked me silly!” “What shall we do?” questioned Boxy, after a moment of silence.