Martin got up, and went for the shovels; during his absence, the dinner was cleared away, and the articles replaced in the basket; they then all adjourned to where the dogs were still barking and scratching.
It was more than an hour before they could dig out the animal, and when, at last, it burst away from the hole, they could not help laughing as they witnessed the way in which one or two of the dogs were pricked with the quills of the animal, who needed no other defence; the dogs ran back, pawed their noses, and then went on again. Oscar was too knowing to attack it in that way; he attempted to turn it over, so that he might get at its stomach, when he would soon have killed it, but Martin dispatched the poor beast with a blow on the nose, and the dogs then rushed in upon it. They amused themselves selecting all the best of the quills for the Strawberry, and then they went back again to the coolers, to see the sugar which had been made.
As they neared the spot, Emma cried out, “There is a bear at the cooler; look at him.”
Malachi and John had their rifles ready immediately. Mrs Campbell and Mary were much alarmed, as the animal was not one hundred yards from them.
“Do not be afraid, ma’am,” said Malachi; “the animal is only after the sugar. He likes sugar just as well as honey.”
“I don’t doubt but he’s the same beast that you saw at the honeycomb the other day,” said Martin. “Let us stay where we are, and watch him. We may lose a few pounds of sugar, but I expect he will make you laugh.”
“I really see nothing laughable in such a terrific brute,” said Mrs Campbell.
“You are quite safe, ma’am,” said Martin, “Malachi and Mr John have both their rifles.”
“Well, then, I will trust to them,” said Mrs Campbell; “but I should prefer being at home, nevertheless. What a great brute it is.”
“Yes, ma’am; it is a very large animal, that’s certain; but they are not very fat at this time of the year. See how he’s smelling at the liquor, now he’s licking the top of it with his tongue: He won’t be satisfied with that, now that he has once tasted it. I told you so.”