"Come along this way," proposed Overton. "We'll explore." Through the gloaming the sore-footed soldier boys plodded on until Noll suddenly halted, gripping Hal stoutly. Right in front of them, ambling their way, came a huge furry something. It wasn't a grizzly, but it was the next worse thing--an unusually large, dark-brown bear. "Duck!" counseled Private Overton, promptly wheeling about. "Slip in a ball cartridge as you run!" Nor did Noll lose any time in following the advice, for the brown bear was now in swift pursuit, growling ominously. Somehow, it didn't seem easy to slip in a ball cartridge while they were running at top speed. "There's a ledge. Get in behind it, and I'll follow, Noll!" shouted Hal, crowding his bunkie toward the ledge. Down behind the ledge dropped both bunkies. There was an opening in the rock of some sort behind them, but in their haste neither young soldier stopped to look at it. Hal had succeeded in slipping a cartridge into his rifle. Noll did that, and also fixed his bayonet at the muzzle of his piece. Bang! went Hal's gun, but he had "bear ague." "Missed him, Noll! Take quick, sure aim!" But at that instant another hoarse growl sounded behind them, and Private Terry could fairly feel his hair rise under his campaign sombrero as he yelled: "Here's another coming at us in the rear, Hal! Must be the old female bear!" CHAPTER VII BEARS AND OTHER TROUBLES Nor was there any doubt about the correctness of Noll Terry's guess. He had only time to back against the ledge when the bear from the rear, uttering a nasty, growling snarl, leaped straight for him. But Noll had braced the butt of his rifle against the ledge, the bayonet up. It was no plan on Terry's part. He did it either instinctively or through sheer luck. In the meantime the male bear, showing two fearsome rows of teeth, was crawling over the ledge from outside to get at Hal Overton. Let it be frankly stated, Hal's teeth were almost a-chatter. He was scared all the way through, but he did not lose his head. Shooting back the bolt of his rifle, he reached for another cartridge. He had already used one, and only six to a man had been issued on this period of field duty. There was no time to slip in the cartridge. Overton was compelled to leap up straight and club his gun. Thump! Down came the butt of the weapon with a force that would have cracked the skull of a man. But bruin merely stumbled. Just then another thump sounded, followed instantly by a snarl of pain. The she bear had sprung straight for Noll, but rifle and bayonet were in the way. Noll held his gun rigidly, though not by calculation. All but frozen with terror he would not have been capable of action. So the flying bear struck squarely against the bayonet, hurling herself with her whole weight and momentum against the point of the steel. But the bayonet did not touch a vital spot. There was still a big amount of fight left in the she bear.