As she lurched backward the huge beast almost jerked the rifle out of Noll's hands, for the bayonet was still deeply embedded. At the instant of clubbing his gun Hal had had his cartridge in one of his hands. Now young Private Overton loaded faster than ever he had been able to do in drill. Bang! The sharp report rang almost deafeningly in the narrow confines at the mouth of the cave back of the ledge. Hal had shot his bear, though he had not inflicted a mortal hurt. But bruin backed off, snarling, desiring to study the scene for a second or two before deciding on further attack. That nearly stunning report had the effect of bringing Noll to his senses. He had a cartridge in his chamber. Cocking the piece, he pulled the trigger feverishly. He inflicted another wound on the she bear, though he did not put that maddened animal out of business. Yet the beast drew back so sharply that Private Terry was able to free his bayonet from entanglement. "Fix your bayonet, Hal, if you have a chance," shouted Noll Terry, as he now leaped gallantly after the maddened animal that was claiming his attention. Hal did, not a moment too soon, for now bruin was at him again. Two quick, sharp thrusts Hal made, the first just as bruin was rising on his hind feet to advance to hug the young soldier. The second thrust tapped bruin on the left shoulder just as he sank to all fours. Then Private Overton turned sick again, as he saw the dripping fangs of the beast come closer. Darting back a dozen feet, Overton, in frantic haste, jammed in his third cartridge. "Steady, boy!" he urged himself. "This is for your life!" Bruin made a spring. The muzzle of the rifle was not four feet from the male bear's heart as Hal Overton pulled the trigger. That was the end of bruin. The beast fell and rolled over on his side. Like a flash Hal turned to see what help his bunkie needed. Plenty of it, apparently, for Noll, crowded back to the wall, was making furious drives with his bayoneted gun in his efforts to keep the she bear from leaping and forcing him down to the ground. Hal had to think like lightning. He decided on a cartridge. Slipping back his bolt, and thus ejecting the cartridge shell in the chamber, Overton jammed fresh ammunition home. Click! shot the bolt faintly. Dropping to one knee, in the gloom Hal aimed, as nearly as he could judge, just behind the left fore-shoulder of the she bear. Then he pulled on the trigger just as the she bear sprang at Noll Terry. At the report the she bear toppled over with a grunt of pain. Noll leaped forward, thrusting his bayonet time after time. Private Overton, clubbing his rifle, delivered several forceful whacks over the head of the expiring animal, which then lay quiet. "We've settled their case, Noll," Hal remarked in an awed voice. "Glad of it," quoth Noll dryly. To their ears now came a whining further back in the cave. "More bears?" asked Noll grimly. "If so, I'm in favor of sounding a retreat."