"You are now standing in the path," added the Texan. "Perhaps it will be safer to withdraw a little to one side, so as to be out of the way of any that may come along."
This was a good advice, and was acted upon at once. Crockett led the horses some distance into the woods and fastened them to trees, where they were beyond the sight of the keenest-eyed Comanche, and then their friend took his departure.
Katrina was in a tremor of alarm, and seating herself beside the Tennesseean, wept like a child. The grizzled wanderer did his best to comfort her, but there was little he could say to soothe her alarm, and so he let her have her cry out.
When something like a calm came back to her, it struck him that something ought be done by way of diverting her attention from the gloomy subject.
"Let's go to the edge of the clearing, and see whether any of the varmints are about?"
She arose, and the two advanced to the open space, where the low, broad deserted cabin could be seen, standing as quiet in the moonlight as when they first cast eyes upon it.
"Hallo! there's something now!" whispered Crockett, touching the arm of the girl, "and by the hokey-pokey, if it ain't a big bear!"
A large lumbering animal could be seen, shambling awkwardly over the clearing near the house, as though he were searching for something to eat.
The great bear-hunter impulsively raised his gun.
"What are you going to do?" she asked.