The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1895-08-24
BOB AND BIMBER AND THE
BEAR.

Bob Torrey was cantering slowly over
the mesa. returning from an errand to
neighboring cattle ranch, when he
caught sight of hawks nest in the top
Of large cedar, and determined to learn
whether it contained any eggs. So he
rode up to the tree and dismounted, the
pony understanding by the dropped
bridle-reign that he was not to stray
away. His dog Bimber at once began a
diligent investigation of the premises Of
a badger, the front door of whose bur-
row opened between two large roots.
Bob had just reached the nest. after
some hard scrambling. and was intent
upon its four brown-splotched eggs,
when he heard Bimber begin barking
furiously.
Guess he's found somebody at home.
Teach him to keep out of other peoples
houses" Bob said to himself, gleefully,
but was too busy to look down. The
racket continued, and seemed to go away
and come back. Lowering his head be-
low the nest to ascertain what was 60
ing on, the boy forgot those eggs in
stantly, for he saw grizzly bear Looping
over the ground in close pursuit Of that
fool of dog, who was ki-yi-ing and do
ing his best to reach the tree, while
Bob's pony. head and tail up, was making
a record for speed in the opposite direc-
ton.
The bear seemed as big as an elephant,
and was growing savagely. "Oh." he
thought, IF l were only hawk, like
that one soaring overhead; or horse,
like that one tearing across the prairie;
or even dog, like Bimber, who" But
where was Bimber? He had disappeared.
Had the bear eaten him up? No; the
boy must have seen the capture if that
had happened.
Then horrible thought came and
nearly chilled his bones.
Could grizzly bear climb tree?
Suddenly the barking was heard once
more, but in queer. muffied tone. as il
the dog were far away, yet no glimpse
of his white coat could be caught any,
where. though Bob's eyes searched on all
sides. Next the barking would ring out
sharp and clear close by, and the bear
would give new roar, but nothing be
visible. 1t was most puzzling.
"Where in the mischief is Bimber?"
the prisoner kept asking himself. until
he almost forgot his own peril.
Then the terrier suddenly appeared.
facing bis big enemy, and scolding the
best he knew how. The grizzly whirled
round and made dash, but the dog was
twice as agile, and in an instant was
safe in that burrow between the roots.
The bear tried to reach in, first one
paw and then another, and 80 drag it's
small enemy out, but such tactics were
Of no avail. The dog simply retreated
until Bob could scarcely hear it's voice,
and never once ventured within reach
Of those formidable claws.
"Maybe | can brighten the beast"
thought Bob, as he drew his small
double barrelled pistol from his belt and
fred,
The bear gave roar as the little bull.
let stung his shoulder, and, dropping the
shot gun, came rushing back to the tree,
where it reared up savagely, only to re-
ceive the contents of the other barrel,
making scalp wound, which brought
out another terrific growl, while Bimber
was able to take nip at hind leg and
escape.
This last bit of impudence was too
much. Bruin was thoroughly enraged.
He tore at the mouth of the burrow as
though he meant to dig it out in three
minutes, but the tough roots were in the
way. and before long he gave up the
task. and, as if decided upon siege, lay
down squarely across the hole and be-
gan rubbing his sore head.
For ar hour or more the boy sat
there, when suddenly an idea occurred
to him.
His powder flask still hung around his
neck. Unscrewing its cap, he poured
into his left hand as much gunpowder
as it could conveniently hold, and re-
placed the cap. Reaching up to the
nest, he lifted out one of the hawks
eggs, broke it gently, and let little
quantity of the sticky white" run into
the powder in his palm. This done. he
mixed the two together. adding more of
one or the other as needed. until he had
formed paste that suited him. This
paste he shaped into roll or cord
around ravelling from his coat lining