The Young Alaskans in the Rockies Part 21

"Well, we'll wait awhile," said Uncle d.i.c.k, "and see what'll happen."

"Just look at them!" exclaimed Jesse, who was using the gla.s.ses now.

"They're playing like children, those little black bears."

They could see that these two smaller bears were apparently out more for a lark than anything else. They would lie down sometimes flat on the ground like dogs, or sit up in all kinds of awkward att.i.tudes and scratch themselves, first with one foot and then another. Sometimes they would start off and gallop aimlessly for quite a distance, then, turning, would run full tilt into each other and, standing up on their hind legs, would box like men. At this sport one bear seemed to be the better, and sometimes would land so hard a cuff on his comrade as to knock the latter rolling down the hill, in which case the aggrieved one, recovering himself, with ears laid back would run up once more at his antagonist and resume the half-playful combat.

The two big grizzlies, stately and dignified, paid no attention to these antics, but went on with their own employment of digging for breakfast. Sometimes they would stand motionless, looking out over the country, then leisurely go back to their digging. If they saw the black bears they did not pay any attention to them.

At last the two little bears became either bolder or more careless, and began to work higher up the slide. Then the nearest grizzly, his mane erect on his shoulders, and head down, made a sort of short run at them, half carelessly and indifferently, as though he held them in contempt. At this both the black bears turned tail and galloped off lumberingly into the forest, and were seen no more.

Leo, with a short grunt, arose and reached for his rifle. He made a quick motion with his arm for the others to follow, and set out in the direction which would put him downwind from the game. In order to reach the proper side of the slide they had to walk in full view in the open valley, directly below the two bears, but Leo seemed to be not in the least uneasy about this.

"Grizzlum not see 'um very good," said he. "He can't look half-mile.

Smell 'um very good."

When they reached the edge of the timber and made ready for the climb up the side of the slide, the Indian turned inquiringly to Uncle d.i.c.k and patted his rifle on the stock. "S'pose two bear, grizzlum?" he said.

"All right, Leo," said Uncle d.i.c.k; "you're in on this hunt with the rest of us. We'll all load our rifles here. Now, John, you go on with Leo, and take the grizzly highest up. He's maybe the biggest; I don't know. Jesse and I will stop opposite the bear which is lowest down and wait till you get in reach of yours. When you do, open up, and we'll shoot as soon as we see ours. The slide is narrow up there, and they'll be under cover in forty yards. There are two robes too good to lose, and we'll all just take a hand in stopping them."

"I'd like to kill one all by myself the way Rob did," said Jesse, although it must be admitted he was just a trifle pale.

"Maybe you will," said his uncle. "But any hunter has to take a bear just as he finds his chance. It's always best for two men to go up together on a grizzly, no matter how good a hunter either may be. It isn't often that you get as good a chance as Rob had on his bear. You leave that to Leo and me. And, Leo, mind now, give your boy the first shot at the bear if it's a possible thing to do it. I'll do the same way with Jesse."

They began now their steady climb under cover, sometimes in the edge of the forest, and sometimes on the face of the slide itself. They were surprised to see that what had appeared to be a flat green slope was really a very steep one, and covered in some places with bushes much higher than their heads, with tall, rank shrubs and early vegetation of many sorts. Leo, as good a grizzly-hunter as could have been found in all the west, was allowed to lead the way, and he took good care never to get within sight of the game or to allow the wind to blow from him toward the bears. He climbed so fast that the others had much difficulty in keeping up with him. But at length, making a swift detour in the forest, he paused and raised a hand.

They could hear now the whining, grumbling voice of the grizzly, as though he were complaining about his poor luck with the gophers, now and then a grunt of anger or disgust as he tugged at some rock. They knew this to be the larger bear, the one higher up the hillside. Leo pointed that way and caught John by the arm, motioning to Uncle d.i.c.k and Jesse to advance straight toward the slide in their position.

Without hesitation John dropped in behind his guide; and Jesse, whether or not he felt any trace of fear, in turn followed his own leader. Thus for the moment the two parties were separated.

In a few moments Leo and John were at the edge of their cover. The Indian caught the boy roughly by the arm, at the same time c.o.c.king his own gun. They were in the edge of a little poplar thicket which jutted out from the pine forest upon the slide. Leo would have preferred to get above his bear, as all good hunters do, but saw that the cover above would not be so good. Now, as John stepped to the edge of the thicket he saw the great grizzly directly above him, not thirty yards away up the slope.

At the same instant also the bear saw the hunters. He stood looking down at them, champing his jaws like a big hog and making no motion either offensive or defensive. John reached one hand back to quiet Leo, who had given him a strong dig in the back. Then quickly he raised his rifle and fired. It was impossible to restrain the Indian much longer, and his shot was so close to John's that they sounded almost like one, although John really was first to hit the bear.

The mark was easy enough for any one of any sort of steadiness, for the bear stood with his broad breast full toward them. John's bullet, as they found, struck fair enough and ranged deep into the great body, while Leo's landed on one shoulder. It is possible neither shot would have knocked the bear down, but any bear, when hit, will drop. This one, with an angry roar which could have been heard half a mile, let go and came down directly toward them, rolling and clawing, biting at itself, and struggling to catch its footing. John fired again, and to his shame be it said that this time his bullet went wild. At his side, however, Leo, brave as a soldier, stood firm, rapidly working the lever of his own rifle. John recovered presently and joined in. In a few seconds, although it seemed long to the younger hunter, their double fire had accounted for the grizzly, which rolled over and expired very close to them, its body caught in its descent by two or three trees.

Meantime--although John declared he never had heard it--there came from below the roar of the rifles of Jesse and Uncle d.i.c.k. The second bear, perhaps more wary than its mate or perhaps warmer from its digging, had left the open s.p.a.ce and taken shelter in a little clump of green bushes close to the point where the two hunters approached the slide. When the sound of firing began above, this bear, much excited, began to plunge wildly this way and that inside the clump of bushes. At last it broke cover almost upon Jesse, who was standing in front.

"Shoot!" called Uncle d.i.c.k, in quick command; and Jesse fired, almost without aim, into what seemed a great gray ma.s.s which ran as though directly over him. Almost at the same instant Uncle d.i.c.k fired also and then, like their companions above, they both fired rapidly as they could until their bear also at last lay quiet, but dangerously close at hand.

Uncle d.i.c.k pushed back his hat and wiped his forehead, looking at Jesse half quizzically. "Son," said he, "it's lucky we both were here.

That bear was either badly scared or good and angry. It meant business, I believe, and it's a lucky thing we stopped it when we did."

Jesse put his rifle to the ground and stood trembling all over. "Well, Uncle d.i.c.k," said he, "I don't know whether or not the bear was scared, but I know _I_ am right now."

"It's just as well to be honest," said his uncle, putting a hand kindly on his shoulder. "Any man has a right to be anxious in as close a corner as this."

They heard the loud hallo of John now, a little way above them; and presently Leo came slipping down toward them, smiling broadly.

"Kill 'um two bear!" said he. "Plenty good hunt, eh?" He looked at the little heap of empty sh.e.l.ls lying so close to the dead bear.

"Two grizzlum, both fight," said he. "Bad bear. Heap shoot 'um."

"And I'm mighty glad we're no worse off," said Uncle d.i.c.k, when in turn they had pa.s.sed from one of the great grizzlies to the other.

"And, speaking of luck, you boys certainly have had it in every way.

Leo, it looks to me as though you put us up almost too close on these bears."

"No see 'um from trees," said Leo. "I like shoot 'um bear close up.

Heap shoot 'um. This boy he heap shoot 'um too."

"All is well that ends well," said their leader. "Now here we are again, with two big bear-hides to get down out of these mountains. Are you satisfied, boys--good and plenty satisfied?"

"I should say so," said Jesse, smiling; and they all laughed at him.

"I don't know that I ever knew of a better hunt," said Uncle d.i.c.k, at last, looking approvingly at the two bears. They had rolled and pulled the upper bear down to the lower, so that they now lay side by side.

"Three bears like this in two days is certainly considerable hunting.

These are big as Rob's bear. The robes are prime, too, and not rubbed to amount to anything--one dark silver tip and one gray fellow. You can't ever tell what color a grizzly is going to have or what he is going to do."

They fell to work now, each party skinning out its own bear, a task which kept them employed for some time.

"We'd better kill the next bears closer to the foot of the slide,"

said Jesse, laughing. "Then we won't have to carry the skins so far."

"A good idea," a.s.sented his uncle. "I'm telling you, a full-sized grizzly-hide, green, is all a strong man can pack."

"We'll not try to carry them down to the main camp, will we?" inquired Jesse.

"Indeed, no. We'll be lucky if we make it back to last night's camp down the valley. There's a bare chance that we may meet Moise and George there. They won't know where we are, unless they heard us shooting."

Leo came up to them at about this time, and stood looking at Jesse's bear for some time. "S'pose me get 'um two twenty dollar, now?" said he, looking at Uncle d.i.c.k. The latter looked at him quizzically for a time, rubbing his chin with a finger.

"Well, Leo," said he, "you're a pretty good business man as well as a good grizzly-hunter. So you want to cash in on our bear, do you? All right; I feel so good about it that I'll just go you--you shall have twenty dollars a head for these bears--and sixty dollars in two days, besides your wages, ought to leave you and your cousin George pretty well satisfied, eh?"

"Yes, feel heap good," said Leo, grinning. "Buy plenty flour now.

Plenty grub on Fort George."

"You're no better satisfied than we are, my friend," rejoined the white hunter. Leo extended his hand, and they shook hands all around.

"I'm willing to go on down the river now," said John; and Jesse smiled his a.s.sent.

With some labor they squared the two hides into a portable pack, one for each of the men, binding them into place with bits of thongs which each carried at his belt. Then, using their belts as tump-straps, Leo and Uncle d.i.c.k shouldered their heavy loads and started down the mountain.

XXIII

ONWARD BOUND