The Silver Canyon Part 10

"I wanted to see it," she said with an eager glance around at her father, who came up rapidly. "What is it?"

"It's the cub half grown of a grizzly bear," said Dr Lascelles, speaking excitedly now. "Back, girl, to the tent; the mother must be close at hand."

"On, forward; she's gone round to the right," shouted the men behind, who had been trying to get on by another way, but were stopped by the rocks.

"Back, girl!" said the Doctor again. "Forward all of you, steadily, and make every shot tell. Where is Joses?"

Just then the deep hoa.r.s.e grunting roar came again from a hollow down beyond them, and directly after, as they all hurried forward, each man ready to fire at the first chance, they heard a shot, and directly after came in sight of Joses, with his double rifle to his shoulder taking aim at a monstrous bear that, apparently half disabled by his last shot, was drawing itself up on a great shelving block of stone, and open mouthed and with blood and slaver running from its glistening ivory fangs, was just turning upon him to make a dash and strike him down.

Just then a second shot rang out, and the bear rolled over, but sprang to its feet again with a terrific roar, and dashed at her a.s.sailant.

It was impossible to fire now, lest Joses should be hit; and though he turned and fled, he was too late, for the bear, in spite of its huge, ox-like size, sprang upon him, striking him down, and stood over him.

But now was the time, and the Doctor's and Bart's rifles both rang out, the latter going down on one knee to take careful aim; and as the smoke cleared away the bear was gone.

"She's made for those rocks yonder," cried Juan, excitedly. "We'll have her now, master. She didn't seem hurt a bit."

"Be careful," cried the Doctor. "Maude, help poor Joses. Go forward, Bart, but mind. She may be fatally wounded now."

Bart was for staying to help the man who had so often been his companion, but his orders were to go on; he knew that Joses could not be in better hands; and there was the inducement to slay his slayer to urge him forward as he ran with his rifle at the trail over the rocks, and was guided by the savage growling he could hear amidst some bushes to where the monster was at bay.

It was fast approaching the moment when all would be in gloom, and Bart knew that it would be impossible for them to camp where they were with a wounded grizzly anywhere near at hand. Slain the monster must be, and at once; but though the growling was plain enough, the bear was not visible, and ammunition is too costly out in the desert for a single charge to be wasted by a foolish shot.

Juan, Harry, and Sam were all in position, ready to fire, but still the animal did not show itself, so they went closer to the thicket, and threw in heavy stones, but without the least effect, till Juan suddenly exclaimed that he would go right in and drive the brute out.

Bart forbade this, however, and the man contented himself with going a little closer, and throwing a heavy block in a part where they had not thrown before.

A savage grunt was the result, and judging where the grizzly lay, Juan, without waiting for counsel, raised his rifle and fired, dropping his weapon and running for his life the next moment, for the shot was succeeded by a savage yell, and the monster came crashing out in a headlong charge, giving Juan no cause for flight, since his b.u.t.t made straight for Bart, open mouthed, fiery-eyed, and panting for revenge.

Bart's first instinct was to turn and run, his second to stand his ground and fire right at the monster, taking deadly aim.

But in moments of peril like his there is little time for the exercise of judgment, and ere he could raise his rifle to his shoulder and take careful aim the bear was upon him, rising up on its hind legs, not to hug him, as is generally supposed to be the habits of these beasts, but to strike at him right and left with its hideously armed paws.

Bart did not know how it happened, but as the beast towered up in its huge proportions, he fired rapidly both barrels of his piece, one loaded with heavy shot for the turkeys, the other with ball, right into the monster's chest.

As he fired Bart leaped back, and it was well that he did so, for the grizzly fell forward with a heavy thud, almost where he had been standing, clawed at the rocks and stones for a few moments, and then lay perfectly still--dead.

CHAPTER NINE.

FIRST SEARCHES FOR GOLD.

The three men uttered a loud cheer, and ran and leaped upon their fallen enemy, but Bart ran back, loading his piece as he went, to where he had left the Doctor with poor Joses.

Bart felt his heart beat heavily, and there was a strange, choking feeling of pain at his throat as he thought of rough, surly-spoken Joses, the man who had been his guide and companion in many a hunt and search for the straying cattle; and now it seemed to him that he was to lose one who he felt had been a friend.

"Is he--"

Bart panted out this much, and then stopped in amazement, for, as he turned the corner of some rocks that lay between him and the tent, instead of addressing the Doctor, he found himself face to face with Joses, who, according to Bart's ideas, should have been lying upon the stones, hideously clawed from shoulder to heel by the monster's terrible hooks. On the contrary, the rough fellow was sitting up, with his back close to a great block of stone, his rifle across his knees, and both hands busy rolling up a little cigarette.

"Why, Joses," panted Bart, "I thought--"

"As I was killed? Well, I ain't," said Joses, roughly.

"But the bear--she struck you down--I saw her claw you."

"You see her strike me down," growled Joses; "but she didn't claw me, my lad. She didn't hit out far enough, but she's tore every rag off my back right into ribbons, and I'm waiting here till the Doctor brings me something else and my blanket to wear."

"O Joses, I am glad," cried Bart, hoa.r.s.ely; and his voice was full of emotion as he spoke, while he caught the rough fellow's hands in his.

"Don't spoil a fellow's cigarette," growled Joses roughly, but his eyes showed the pleasure he felt. "I say are you glad, though?"

"Glad?" cried Bart, "indeed, indeed I am."

"That's right, Master Bart. That's right. It would have been awkward if I'd been killed."

"Oh, don't talk about it," cried Bart, shuddering.

"Why not, my lad? It would though. They'd have had no end of a job to dig down in this stony ground. But you've killed the bear among you?"

"Yes; she's dead enough."

"That's well. Who fired the shot as finished her? Don't say you let Juan or Sam, or I won't forgive you."

"I fired the last, and brought her down," said Bart quietly enough.

"That's right," said Joses, "that's right; you ought to be a good shot now."

"But are you not hurt at all?" asked Bart.

"Well, I can't say as I arn't hurt," replied Joses, "because she knocked all the wind out of me as she sent me down so quickly, and she scratched a few bits of skin off as well as my clothes, but that don't matter: skin grows again, clothes don't. Humph, here comes the Doctor with the things."

"A narrow escape for him, Bart. But how about the grizzly?"

"Dead, sir, quite dead," replied Bart. "Are we likely to see Mr Grizzly as well?"

"No, I think not, my boy. Mother and cubs generally go together."

"Now, Joses, let me dress your back."

"No, thank ye, master, I can dress myself, bless you."

"No, no, I mean apply some of this dressing to those terrible scratches."

"Oh, if that's what you mean, master, go on. Wouldn't they be just as well without?"

"No, no; turn round, man."