The San Francisco call., 1910-03-26
TnELAST Tf42{E GRIZZLIES


OF strength He preferred q siege he
would wait and cure his wounds while
waiting; so lie lay down oeneatu li.e
tree and licked the injured places. VIII
was glad of the reprieve which aloWeu
him to catch his breath and clear his
mind from the cloud of fear lie was
in no immediate danger now ana sooner
or later his father would come up the
ditch looking for him Then ne knew
that the bears wounds would not I'M
prove by licking or by rest Iney
would stiffen up and pain more III
stead of less.
But Wits position was far from
comfortable, and the outlook of five or
six more hours of it was not pleasant
so he began looking about Tor way
of escape To pass the grizzly was I'M
possible-absolutely out OF the ques-
tion--and any way down from the Tree
must mean passing the bear. UP?
There was 80 feet of redwood above the
crotch where he clung. There was also
another redwood not more thah ~ leet
away. Could he bend his tree SO tnat
he could swing to the other! Ii So
there was chance, for the next tree
oyerhung an alder that grew on the
creek bank, and one large branch OF
the alder grew out far over the creek
beyond the deep pool, near the sHore.
It was squirrels trick, but sauir-
rel is not so heavy or awkward as
ing around it to dodge interfering
branches. and was greeted by a low
growl from the bear as warning TO
stop Looking down, Will saw the
grizzly eye him angrily and hall start
up from his reclining posture, put
prick of pain from some deeply lmbedded
bullet distracted his attention, and VIII
made the upper branches without inter
ruption There the tree swayed with
the breeze and bent with his weight.
Slowly he went higher, testing each
branch before he trusted his weight to
it, He had many time bent down
smaller saplings this way to make
spring teeters and he knew by the
feel of the shfvering wood when he
was high enough to force the curve.
Then he swung out, holding only by
his hands Bending gracefully, the
redwood bowed to it's mate and Will
hung over the outstretching lower
limbs of the second step in his journey.
Once twice. three times he swung
himself back and forth, and then let go.
The redwood settled back with snap,
and Will pumped through small
branches to the trunk of the second
tree which he grasped with both arms.
The bear watched him and growled.
To drop into the alder was the work
OF moment, and he began the journey
across the creek. Bruin came over be-
low him, rolling out rough bear Ian
guage in deep and angry voice but
Will was encoura ged to see that he was
visibly losing energy Would he cross
the creek after his prey? Will thought
not Cold water would be too painful
for those bullet holes, but Will intended
to be sure of the matter before he let
go of the branch to scramble to the
other side. He dangled awhile before
the bear. tempting him to come into the
water for him, but hanging so that he
could swing up Immediately into safety
ha wanted
tried the water with a paw, but decided
against 1t. VIII let go, and ran. He
fell in shallow water and was up and
over the bank in a second, started for
home The last heard of the grizzly
was a fierce growl of angry protest.
Mr. Field was walking behind the
plow with Gee, joey; come around
boys; whoa! back now-back" when
Will ran into the burrows. "Grizzly,
pa whale of grizzly I've shot him,
but he's after me! Is he comingT'
What's that, Will? Grizzly? They
are all gone-gone, long ago. Ii it's
bear at all, it's cinnamon. Where is
the rihe?
II dropped it when it was empty.
Had to climb tree. Left him back there
trying to cross the creek" Will was
too breathless to explain more details,
but his father had heard enough to
realize that the boy had been through
an exciting adventure, and there might
be sequel. so he wound the reins
around the plow handle and set off on
a run for the house. Mr.. Field had a
As caliber single shot rife that loaded
at the muzzle with handful OF powder
and a slug as big as Wits thumb. Mr.
Field had never studied the scientific
problem of the big bore bullet versus the
small bore mushroom, but he had an
abiding faith in this gun that his father
had used before him. When he came
back he carried it on his shoulder, and
Will had recovered breath and courage
enough to go back with him around
the mountainside. They approached
the scene of the adventure with eau
tious slowness. and VIII was able to
point out the bear, sitting as he had
left him. lieking his bullet holes and