"He isn't far off," replied Nick, "and I don't think he cares to disturb us, but I would rather keep him at a distance."
It may be set down as certain that Nick and Nellie were never in such serious peril from the beast as they believed. The bear was of the ordinary black kind, found in the Middle States, which is not particularly savage, and often passes a person without offering him harm.
It is only when the hunter and his dogs assail the brute, or when he is driven by hunger, that he will boldly attack a person.
Besides this, the animal of which I am speaking, had, no doubt, been routed out of his lair in the woods by the approach of the fire, and it was the most he could do to reach the pond in time to save himself. This accounted for his excessive fatigue, which made him loth to enter the water, where he knew he must swim, and which caused him, after entering it, immediately to make for the raft, that he might avail himself of its support.
He had no purpose of molesting the children, and was too indolent to resent the insignificant attack made upon him by Nick with the stick.
But it was not to be supposed that the boy and girl could feel any assurance on this point, and their fright was such as would have come to any older person placed as they were.
It was only through the protection of a wonderful Providence that they had escaped thus far from the fate of hundreds who, in different parts of the country, fell victims to the innumerable forest fires.
When the two emerged from the water, they saw nothing of the bear that had caused them so much disquietude. He had probably headed for the other side of the pond, and was now shut out from view by the volume of smoke which intervened.
"He'll be here after us," said the alarmed Nellie, whose nervousness was excusable; "and I wish you would hurry away."
"I don't think there is any need to be scared, after all," replied her brother; "the bear has all he can do to look after himself, without bothering us."