"Better eat a bear than that a bear should eat you," said the Professor.
"I will starve before we get to Stockton," said Tom. "Let us go on shore and shoot some game."
"Agreed!" said Toney. And they ran in along shore, and, fastening their boat to the bough of a tree, landed and proceeded through the tulas in the direction of Mount Diablo. When they had gone about a mile they reached an open space surrounded with thickets. Here they halted, and were gazing around in search of game, when Tom Seddon suddenly exclaimed, "Look! look!"
About two hundred paces from where they stood a man rushed out from the thicket, and behind him came forth a huge and ferocious monster apparently in pursuit. The hideous beast ran after the man, and striking him with its nose under the tail of his coat hurled him headforemost about twenty feet. The man fell on his hands and knees, and the monster stood still and gazed at him intently.
"The devil!" exclaimed Tom Seddon.
"From Mount Diablo," said the Professor.
"It is a grizzly bear," said Toney.
"Gracious!" exclaimed Moses.
"That fellow had better run," said Tom.
"He has taken your advice," said the Professor.