The Mason County journal. [volume] (Shelton, W.T.) 1886-1927, 1899-07-21

smell Oh rOck, saba.
"Nor l." echoed Fred.
"Well, / don't either" said Charley
Therefore, the only thing to do is tc
bring him down to u.s."
"How can we do it ?" asked Fred an &
I, in breath.
"Well, boys" replied Charley, 81
have plan. It may be foolish and
very likely won't work; but certainly
it will do no harm to try it. Fred's
toboggan, here, is a good, wide, strong
one. Now, propose that one of us
climb up there with it, shove it up, tail
end foremost, on to the shelf of rock
and leave it there, with the front END
hanging over the snowbank. Then
Fred can bleat again and bring the bear
out. If he should step on the tobog-
gan and go to-nosing it, and should get
a little further forward than the
balancing point-Whish, don't you see,
the. thing would tip up and plunge for
ward, and bring Mr.. Bear coasting
down that snowbank- faster than he
ever went before in his life?"
"Hurrah!" cried Fred ard /, in
chorus. cit might work-of course it
might! And if it did, we could shoot
the old fellow at the foot of the hill,
before he got the snow out of his eyes,
'But who'll go up with the lobog-
gan?" asked Fred. 81 want to save my
wind for bleating."
"And I want to have my nerves
steady enough to aim this big ten-bore
gun of fathers" said I.
"Humph! III go up with the tobog-
gan!" cried Charley. ''The bear isn't
likely to come out until Fred bleats,
anyway, and then I'll be down the hill
again. You fellows keep the dog back,
and don't make any more noise than
you can help"
Fred and l heaved sigh of relief as
Charley took hold of the toboggan
rope, and began slowly to "sidle" his
way up the steep snowbank. It was a
long and difficult climb, and our adven-
turous companion had to stop and rest
a good many times before he came up
abreast of the shelf of rock in front Of
the cave.
1t was critical and exciting moment,
as he lifted the toboggan, and began to
slide it gently up on the ledge. Our
hearts beat fast, and we were full of
Silent admiration of our chum's brav-
cry. -.
The feat was accomplished, however,
without interruption on Bruins part,
and Charley came plunging down to us
again, with a look of pardonable tri-
umph on his flushed face. "Now,
Fred, you bleat!" he said as he reached
the foot of the incline, and turned to
look up at the cave. "My! it was
ticklish! But the toboggan sets just
right for the old fellow to step on it
and get ride-doesn't it ?"
We heartily agreed that it did The
forward part of the .toboggan overhung
the shelf nearly three feet, and it was
SO delicately balanced that the slight
est weight beyond its center of gravity
would send it shooting down the in
cline. -.s 50,
Fred began to bleat most persuasive
ly. This time, however, Bruin did not
respond Immediately, and we, began to
fear he was too wise to be fooled a Sec
ond time. At last, however, he. came
waddling out. The toboggan attracted
his attention at once, and he proceeded
10 investigate it. He smellod lightly
and suspiciously along its:edge until he
could go no further. - Then he-deliber-
ately stepped upon it, intending to
cross to the other SIDE, and continue
his investigations there. x - z
But the moment the. bear.stepppedo or.
the forward part OF the toboggan,
down went that end and--up came the
other end, and before Bruin could take
a realizing sense of what had happened,
he was lying upon his side on that long
wooden thing, and. ,whizzing down. the
bank like an arrow from bow!
How funny he looked, SPRAYED out
there, with his two hintf'4egs dragging
in the snow, and h;sgstpn ished back
face just peering over tbf&nrled dasber!,
I have laughed many lime aIthe rec.
ollectiof of that picture; but none Of
us laughed just then. Itewas too seri-
Gus matter when big, angry beal
was sailing down upon us, and We had
only two charges apiece in our ole FASH
Toned, muzzle-loading guns.
The toboggan slowed, shot mast us
within few feet, swhizzeid across TIC
bed of the brook and dashed. into the
opposite bank with thud: Bruin.
keeled of, head over heels. and landed
all in a heap in the powdery snow. AS
he lay there for a moment, sprawlina
and snorting, Charley cried il, d clear.
firm voice: Fret, !: issssi: as2sss *
Three tremendous reportsrane out On
the winter air; fer each Of the old muz-
zle-loaders had ssfour-ffreer CHARGE
in it. A perfect hailstorm of buck:
shot at short range tore its way to the
exposed vitals of the floundering bear.
and, without ever regaining its feet, the
bewildered and MORALLY wounded crea-
ture turned convulsively upon it's side.
and was dead
Then what shouts of mingled triumph
an6 laughter arose from the successful
hunters! We keeled over in the snow.
and kicked our heels above our heads:
we pounded each other on the back:
we jumped into the air, waving our
arms like madmen. We laughed and
shouted until the fears ran down our
faces, and our sides and lungs ached so
that articulate utterance became tor
true. Then we sat down, painting, on
the dead bear, and kept silence unfifwe