Chicago eagle. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1889-19??, 1895-11-23


made renrisols on the scattered settlers.
Wolves, too. nboundcd In the region. and
in winter their long. dismal bowling
made the cold nights hidcous. The Dun.
can and Taylor hoys-l,oy and Phil.-had
been companions from childhood. anu
when their parents settled In the new
country they were IN their element. as
now they could roam the woods or paddle
down the Little Red. every now and then
picking up Il bear or turkey with their
trusty rifles. II was not long before they
became known as the best young Nimr0ds
In the whole district and whenever they
started ON u hunt Il was taken for grant
cd that they would return with plenty
of game. One evening In Novcm-
Der they started for n fire i,lnt
on the river for the purpose of. az Phil ex'
pressed il. dragging n Thanksgiving
bear" I'VE can float past the big brakes
near the bend" said he. as he laid his
proposition before Roy. Tom Hunter.
who came through there the other day.
saw lots of fresh signs. and we may he
able to get Il big one for to-morrow's
feast" Taken with the prospect of some
exciting adventures. Roy at once acqui-
csccd. nnd the two boys began TO prepare
for the fire hunt.
The canoe was dragged forth. and the
pine knots for the torch gathered ind
made ready.
Taking the paddle. Roy, with u sharp
lookout along shore. drove the light bark
into the middle of the river. while Phil
under the torch watched the tall canes
that lined the edge and tried to catch the
first sight of game.
All at once the paddles In loy's supple
hands seemed to rest. and he glanced at
his companion. Phil ut the same mo-
mcnt had secn what had caught Roy's
eye. On the right. where the tall canes
seemed to seek the solitude of the stars,
cleaned u pair of intense eyes, very close
together. aud near the ground. 1T II old
Ephraini," whispered Phil us he moved
his rifle and leaned forward for II better
look. I'VE have found our Thanksgiving
bear at last"
Slowly. with cool hunters dclibcra-
ton. Phil lifted his rife to his shoulder.
and while he watched the shining eyes,
Roy seemed to hold his breath. The
crack of the weapon awoke the echoes
along shore. and us the smoke lifted both
boys leaned forward with cagerness and
looked toward the shore. "YOu missed
him!" cried Roy. mo. Look yonder!
The old fellow has tumblcd into the wa.
ter and IL In the death struggle. Quick!
row toward him before the eddy sucks MIN
In"
Lost" exclaimed Roy, disnppointedly.
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 the bear. The great
paws, looking doubly formidable In the
unsteady light of the torch. while the
,.,tt az Lao 1,nu IN
turn the boat, md the ugly head, with
the wide mouth bleeding from the boys
shot, was enough to send chills of terror
to the Nimrod's hearts.
Back orr cried Phil. rs he saw that
the canoe was almost among the rocks,
and liable to DO capsizcd 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 desperate cf-
fort TO climb aboard. The situation was
now full Of peril, and the rocking of the
boat In the swift waters caused the torch
to scatter u ruin Of fire over the devoted
boys and the bear, but the beast only
blinked his little eyes and redOubled his
efforts to scale the fragile rampant.
Finding that he could not get shot at
the bear az Roy backed the boat of, Phil
struck with all his might with the gun,
bringing the heavy stock down upon the
huge head. lie shattered the weapon by
the blow, while he apparently left the
skull of his anita gOnist uninjured. In an.
other moment the bear lunged forward
again, and the canoe at the same time
striking a rock, was capsized, splitting its
occupants into the water and putting out
the torch. All this happened In u second,
as 1t 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 retain one
paddle, pushed the boat from the rocks
and sent 1t out into the river. where It
was caught In swift current and car
ried along like u feather. "This IL better
than drowning among the rocks-Or being
eaten up by the bear" said Phil. us NJ
looked back. But we've lost our
Thanksgiving bear steak, guess" "l.ost
the bear!" cried Roy sharply, as his face
whitened. Look yonder. He IL still
clinging to the stern of the boat"
This was true, as could be seen by tho
moonlight, which at that particular place
fell through the trees upon the eddying
Al.