Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1903-09-09
THE THREE BEARS
ON CRANE ISLAND.
BY D. A. Y.
PART IL.

AShA1 oNahSaNNf fNN.~N -
brush bed, and In the semi-darkness saw
an object which knew was Jake franti
cally dsshing around the tree trunk.
chased by an animal that looked to me
very much like bear.
Soon saw the forms of two others not
far away. A spell OF terror seized me.
"There are the three bears that Jasper
saw, and Jake IL in great dsnger of being
devoured by theml" l thought. "wha;
shall dot what shall do?"
| After few seconds had passed an IDEA
came to me. Making my way to the low
est limb of the tree, which was ABOUT FIVE
feet from the ground, cried;
.Jakei Jakel Give me a hold of your
hand, quicki'
But Jake did not hear me. Again |
shouted. This time, as before, there came
no response.
The race kept on.
at once remoeed my coat, which was
still wet with salt water, and raising ii
above my head as the animal came round
| to the side of the tree which brought him
| face to me, / hurled il at him with all my
| might. The coat was not the only object
that went from the tree; for when J let
| go of it, my right foot slipped on a bark
less spot OF the branches on which stood,
and a. my left hand was only pressing
against the tree, | fell to tue ground.
Never shall forget that fall. The rush,
the cracking of twigs, .he cries of Jake
and tie sight OF the woolly form of the
animal a. he dashed away into the dark
ness. When | arose felt sharp twinge
in my left wrist. Jake stood near, too
frightened to speak.
Where is he?' / shouted.
"Is that you, WIFI" asked Jake, in
strange voice.
"Yes; where are the besrs?'
"They're gone" he answered family, as
be bounded to my side; "you scared them
nearly to death, should think by the way
they ran."
picked mp my coat, put it on, and with
the help of the pole which we had used
for a ladder in the evening, we were soon
again upon our rude bed.
81 didn't know bears would get so
| frightened before" began Jake.
"Neither did J." responded.
my, didn't they scoot! i never saw
anything go So"
| That's fact, they did," l agreed.
s'How came you to be down there, any
how?" l went on.
"Don't know" was the answer" | sup
pose / must have gotten up in my sleep,
| for the first / kneS of bears or anything
else, was standing by the tree and that
! animal was butting me with his head.
You know the rest.''
"Then he didn'tlbite you even once?"
asked.
"No," was the answer. 81 didn't give
him time.n
Jake's mother had told me that he often
arose in his sleep to walk about, and that
| he had several times gone to the spring
| and returned with pail of water before
awakening. So 1t did not seem strange to
me that he had, while asleep, safely de-
scended the tree; but for person to be as
near a bear as he had been without getting
! bitten, puzzledime.
| We had not been long in the tree, how
ever, when few drops of rain struck our
faces.
"I'll bet we'll get rain" said Jake, rising
| up and looking about uneasiIy.
Guess we SHALL" / answered, as
placed several branches which hung over
US, nearer together. Looks and feels like
| it,"
| My wrist wasibeginning to pain me, and
our clothes were still wet and cold; but in
| pite of these annoyances, after we had
watched for the return of our enemies for
time, we once more fell asleep.
Again was awakened. This time Jake
was shaking me vigorously.
whats that? What's that noise,
Will?" he was saying over and over ex-
citedly. / listened. Presently from the
direction OF the water came the boom of a
gun, follow by three shouts.
sits Jssi It's Jas!" we cried, both at
the same time; and scrambling to the
ground, we made our way to the beach,
guided by the shouts and the sound of the
sea tapping the shore.
The wind had ceased to blow, and no
rain was falling, but thick mist covered
the ocean. Jake and shouted as loud BIS
our lungs would permit, ana soon we were
giaddened by the sound OF approaching
oars. Shortly after voice which 1 knew
to be that OF my uncle, called out: ''Is
that you, WHIP"
"Yes," replied, Jake and 1 are both
SAFE"
But had no sooner said this, than from
the woods came the sound of cracking
under brush, and the next minute OIL
three woolIy neighbors appeared.
"The bearsl' gasped, and Jake and
started at our best speed along the shore.
Jake was faster runner than /, and
soon 1 saw him disappear into the mist
ahead. Not more than minute later,
heard the sound OF something behind me,
and was knocked to the ground. AS
looked up,iexpecting in my terror to see
the jaws of bear over me, saw, instead,
the form of my assaiiant moving rapidly
in the direction which Jake had gone, and