Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1894-09-06

BEFORE mi could reply, something
dark and wet rose almost underneath
the frail canoe, and the next moment
he saw the tatfrail In the grip Of .
bear. The great paws, looking doubly
formidable in the unsteady lightof tho
torch, with the weight Of the bear,
threatened to ovcrturn the boat, and
the ugly head with wide mouth bleed.
Ing from the boys shot, was enough
to send chills Of terror to the Nimrods'
hearts.
Back Off" cried Phil, rs he saw
that the canoe was almost among the
rocks and liable to DO capsized by their
foe.
Roy sprang anew to the paddles, and
as Phil rose in the boat to thrust the
rifle into the bears face and terminate
the contest, the animal male u desper-
ate effort to climb aboard.
The situation was now full Of peril
and the rocking OF the boat in the
swift waters caused the torch to scat
ter o rain of fire over the devoted bows
and the bear, but the beast only
blinked his little eyes and rcdoublcd
his efforts to scale the fragile rampant,
Finding that he could not get shot
ut the bear as Roy backed the boat of,
Phil struck with all his might with the
gun, bringing tho heavy stock down
upon the huge head. lie shattered
the weapon by the blow while he an
parently left the skull OF his antacon.
list urinjured.
In another movement the bear
lunged forward again, and the canoe
at The same time striking rock was
eapsizea, splitting its occupants into
the water and putting. out the torch.
All this happened in second, as 1t
Sc me |, aal the boys thus thrown into
the stream, and at the mercy OF tho
bear and current, struggled to right
the canoe and clamberin again.
After awhile they succeeded, and
Roy, who was fortunate enough TO re.
tain one paddle, pushed tho boat from
the rocks and sent tout into the river,
Were it was caught in a swift current
and carried along like y feather.
"r'li' is bctterthan drowning among
the rocks or being eaten up by the
bear said Phil, as he looked back,
but wc'va lost our Thanksgiving bear
steak, ! guess
Lost the bear?" cried Roy, sharply,
as his face whitened, Look yonder.
lie is Still clingins ia the stern of tho
boat
This was true, q; could be seen by
the moonlight which at that particu-
lar place fell through the trees upon
the cldying waters. The two boys
stared at the homely head lifted above
the tide and at the sharp claws that
seemed to dig their way into the
woodwork at stern. The bear held on
with death grip as the current boro
the canoe and the young Nimrods rap
idly down the stream, now narrowly
some lialf-sunlscn tree, and
now nearly capsizing again as Roy
tried to escape n hidden rock.
"What shall we do?' cried Phil at
last, as he turned frightened face to.
ward his companion. THE bear Is de-
termlne'l to prove our Jonah, and In
! short time we shall reach the falls
"Cnt him loose" said Roy. You
have Your knife, haven't your
Phil hailed the suggestion with a
Try of joy, and brought from the
lepths of his pocket a big jack-knife,
md in another moment he leaned to-
ward the bear in their wake.
Instead of striking at the throat,
which was exposed, he drove the keen
blade into one OF the feet, near the
DOT of the claws, and drew it toward
lin. The bear growlcd savagcly, but
Phil bravely faced the beast, and sew.
red the other foot likewise.
"A tree! A treel' rang out Roys
'oice at this moment, ind before Phil
'onld duck his head the canoe struck
he obstacle in the middle of the Little
Red, and in u jiffy they were in the
water again and struggling to grasp
he limbs Of The lodged tree.
In this they were successful, and
when they had drawn themselves up
'mong tho branches they looked Mt one
mother with grim smiles They knew
hat they were destined to pass the
light in the tree, which they did, and
ghen day came they found themselves
ear plantation.
BY dint of shouting until they were
oarse they made themselves heard,
nd were rescued by several planta-
ion hands, one Of whom discovered
he bear lodged In another tree a lit
10 farther down the river The ami
lal was dead, and when he was drawn
shore the boys related their thrilling
Experience with his bearship the night
efore.
A wagon was procured and the home
ard journey began, and In ample sea-
H..