Jack did not know what to do. He and Will had to stand there and watch their chums rolling and slipping down the mountain-side, with the bear, in its death struggle, slowly gaining on them.
Suddenly the beast struck a large boulder, bounded up into the air, and came down nearly on top of the two lads. Jack’s heart almost stopped beating, and Will turned his head aside. Bear and boys seemed to be in one indistinguishable heap.
“They’ll be killed!” cried Will.
Jack started down the hill on the run. He had not taken a dozen steps, his gaze all the while fixed on that heap, which had now reached a little ledge, where it came to a stop, when he saw Sam and Nat slowly extricate themselves.
“They’re alive, anyway,” he murmured.
He heard Will following after him, but did not look back. He wanted to see what the bear would do. Sam and Nat appeared bewildered, but Jack noticed that they moved away from bruin. The brute was quiet.
“I wonder if I killed him?” thought Jack. Then he called out: “Is he dead?”
“As a door-nail,” replied Sam.
“Are you hurt?” sung out Will.
“Only bruised some,” answered Sam, rubbing several places on his body.