The San Francisco call., 1897-10-10
BILLY KILLS A
GRIZZLY BEAR.

PlLLY OF OAKLAND was separated
- from Sam of Los Angeles, with whom
he left Camp Call" by following blind
trail in search of grizzly bear
1t was the highest ambition of the
sturdy California boys, one and all, TO
Kill grizzly. Weeks had passed and the
vacation at Camp Call" was drawing to
an end, and the boys rivalry grew sh arper
every day. Oh, for shot at a bear!
Alter Billy and Sam had drifted apart
| Billy called once or twice TO Sam, and even
fired his rifle as signal; but he received
no answer. The report of the rifle, how
ever, started up the game he was hunting
fora real grizzly.
Hardly had the sound of the rife died
away when it was answered, in a wav.
There was a loud shifting among the trees.
Then the head of a grizzly that had been
asleep not very far from the trail ralse ed
itself. A half sleepy grunt was the next
! manifestation. Then the grizzly was fully
ready for action.
Probably this grizzly had never heard a
gun before. At any rate, it was full of
curiosity, which was not strange for cub.
1t came along toward Billy on keen trot
and did not stop until it was full in his
view. Billy heard it coming and waited
coolly to see what it could be.
'Well," said Billy, rather humorously,
to the bear, good morning. You thought
that you'd come down and make me a
call. did you? Well, take that as rather
nice OF you and l will try to see that you
are not lonely while you are here. Hope
you'll enjoy my society,""
There was vein of roilicking fun in
Billy that he could not control wholly.
and he was amused to see the bear stop
short at his voice and stand up on its
hind legs.
THAT is right" he said. always rise to
welcome guest"
But all this time Billy, while iocular
was not idle. He had his gun ready, and
he had hardly said the last of the forego-
ing words when he blazed aWay at the
bear.
his aim was very good. The bullet
struck the bear just hard enough to sting,
missing his head but clipping piece from
one OF its ears. 1t was enough to anger the
bear, whose curiosity about gun seemed
now to be satisfied, and it made bee line
Tor Billy with all the speed it had, which
was much.
Billy stood his ground and tried another
shot, but by some accident the rifls would
not go off. The bear was within fifty
PAGES of HIM when he found out that he
had no help to count on from the gun.
Would you have thought that you could
outrun bear? That was just what Billy
began to do. He had won prizes as
sprinter at the spring games on the oval
at Berkeley and he was still in fine condi-
ton, having kept up to his training very
we'll. If any one in California could out
run a bear for short distance he could.
OF course, he knew at the start that the
bear could run for hours. His only chance
was to run and trust to luck He had
noticed that morning that there was a
drove of horses grazing in the open, per-
haps two miles back from the place where
be found the grizzly.
Among these were several cayuses, as
tough as leather, as al boys know.
Billy headed straight as he could 60 for
the open. He reasoned as he ran that
even ii he could lot throw himself on the
back OF one OF these horses he might at
least make some diversion to bring the
bear to halt and so get time to see what
was the matter with the rifle and fix it IN
for business. For, although the gun
might throw him down by catching upon
the trees and bushes beside the traiIas he
ran he pluckily determined to keep the
gun. But at bend in the trail he lost the
gun, which was brushed from his hands
and tum bled in among the bushes
Ihat turned out to be a piece OF good
luck, Tor the bear when he came alonv
stopped and smelled of the gun, and while
be was dong this Billy gained some dis.
tance that he saw, with anxiety, he had
been losing. The bear, do the best tha.
Billy could with his speedy legs, was
drawing nearer, and Billy noticed tn at the
brute was not hurrying, but was Just TAX
ing an easy gait with the idea of tirinp
him out.
Now, there was chance to increase the
distance between himself and the bear. if
ever so little. Billy sprinted in such styIe
that if he had made similar effort at apv
time on the Berkeley oval when the Oak
land High and the Lowell High were op.
posed he would have won fame at once
and his name would have been enrolled
among the record breakers of the Pacific
Coast without doubt.
That proved 10 be his only chance. for
the bear suddenly awoke to the idea that
Billy was getting away from him and put
on fresh speed. Billy had about a fair
start for handicap. He ran at top speed
until he came near where he had seen the
horses. He saw them again now, and as
the wind was in the other direction thew
had not yet smelled the bear and thew
were quietly grazing.