"We stood listening, breathlessly. In a moment the yell burst out again, followed by yelps, snarls, and the sounds of a general fight.
"'I'll bet they're afoul of the bear,' whispered Jed.
"The uproar continued.
"'If they are, they won't mind us,' continued Jed. 'Let's creep up, and see.'
"Cocking our guns, we moved cautiously forward. The yells grew louder, and we heard growls. At length, turning a little bend of the ravine, we peered round a great boulder and saw a sight I shall never forget. With his back against a rock sat the bear—a tremendous fellow he looked—with the trap on his paw, while about him leaped, and surged, and snapped, fifteen or twenty gray wolves, their white teeth grinning, and their eyes flashing green fire. The bear was fighting for life against the whole of them.
"The wolves had struck upon his trail, and the smell of the blood that came from the leg crushed in the trap had made them furious. He fought hard, swinging the trap clog, as he struck with his forelegs to beat them off.
"Occasionally, as the ravenous creatures leaped at his throat, he would catch one with his uninjured paw and give him a hug that drew out a smothered yelp. Sometimes five or six of the wolves would jump at the bear at the same time, and for a moment we would lose sight of him, but he brushed them away, and rose again. The growls, yells and snapping jaws were savage beyond description. It grew dusk as we watched the fight.
"'What can we do?' said Sol.
"'It would be useless for us to interfere,' said I; 'they're bound to have him.'
"'Let's fire among them, though,' said Jed; 'I haven't brought a loaded gun up here for nothing. All together now.'