The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1894-07-19

| among l1e rocks, ana Hnll, VINO nau
reloaded, was watching for another
shot, as he saw that the bear was des-
perately wounded, though not yet quite
conquered.
As the canoe neared the spot there
was sudden plunge on the part of the
animal, and the huge bulk vanished
for a moment.
Lost" exclaimed Roy.
Before Phil could reply, something
dark and wet rose almost underneath
the frail canoe, and the next moment
| he saw the taffrail in the grip of a
bear. The great paws, looking doubly
formidable in the unsteady light of the
torch, with the weight of the bear,
threatened to overturn 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, as he saw
| that the canoe was almost among the
rocks and liable to be 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 made 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 rain of fire over the devoted boys
and the bear but the beast only
blinl1ed his little eyes and redoubled
his efforts to scale the fragile rampant.
Finding that he could not get shot
at the bear as Roy backed the boat off,
Phil struck with all his might with the
gun, bringing the heavy stock down
upon the huge head. He shattered
the weapon by the blow, while he APP
parently left the skull of his antagon-
list uninjured.
In another movement the bear
lunged forward again, and the canoe
at the same time striking a rock was
eapsized, spilling its occupants into
the water and putting out the torch.
All this happened in a second, as it
seemed, and the boys thus thrown into
the stream, and at the mercy of the
bear and current, struggled to right
the canoe and Chamber in again.
After awhile they succeeded, and
Roy, who was fortunate enough to re-
tain one paddle, pushed the boat from
the rocks and sent it out into the river,
where it was caught in swift current
and carried along like feather.
This is better than drowning among
the rocks-or being eaten up by the
bear" said Phil, as he looked back.
But we've lost our Thanksgiving bear
steak, l guess"
Lost the bear?" cried Roy. sharply,
as his face whitened. Look wonder.
He is still clinging to the stern of the
boat"
This was true, as could be seen by
the moonlight which at that particu-
lar place fell through the trees upon
the eddying 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 1t stern. The bear held on
with death grip as the current bore
the canoe and the young Nimrods rap
idly down the stream, now narrowly
missing some half-sunken tree, and
now nearly capsizing again as Roy
tried to escape hidden rock.
What shall we do?" cried Phil at
last, as he turned q frightened face to-
ward his companion. The bear is de-
termined to prove our Jonah, and in
a short time we shall reach the falls"
Cut him loose" said Roy You
L.,
Phil hailed the suggestion with a
cry of joy, and brought from the
depths of his pocket big jack-lnife,
and 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
him. The bear grovled savagely, but
Phil bravely faced the beast, and sew
cred the other foot likewise.
"a tree! A tree" rang out Roy's
voice at this moment, and before Phil
could duck his head the canoe struck
the obstacle in the middle of the Little
Red, and in a jiffy they were in the
water again and struggling to grasp
the limbs of the lodged tree.
In this they were successful, and
when they had drawn themselves up
among the branches they looked at one
another with grim smiles. They knew
that they We're destined to pass the
night in the tree, which they did, and
when day came they found themselves
near planta ton.
BY dint of shouting until they were
hoarse they made themselves heard,
and were rescued by several planta-
ton hands, one of whom discovered
the bear lodged in another tree lit
tie farther down the river. The ami
NAL was dead, and when he was drawn
ashore the boys related their thrilling
experience with his bearship the night
before.
A wagon was procured and the home
ward journey began, and in ample sea-
son for dinner the boys arrived with
the Thanksgiving bear.
The canoe, which had been swept
underneath the tree, was never found,
but Phil and BOY were willing to lose
it since they had saved themselves and
the well-won body of Old Ephraim;
but the next Thanksgiving, and the
next, they were careful to provide for
by daVlipht for their thrilling fire.