Hal's thrust, therefore, failed to land directly, but merely ripped along the animal's coat.
The momentum that followed the miss caused Sergeant Hal Overton to fall forward to his knees. And now the enraged bruin made straight for him.
There was time to do but one thing. Sergeant Hal made a lunge direct at the bear's eyes.
With that menace of cold steel before his eyes the bear dodged to one side, then rose to his hind feet.
Rising, Hal took his stand on the defensive, for now bruin was determined on a finish fight.
Straight at Bruin's heart lunged Hal, but it was a game at which two could play.
Bruin's massive left paw, backed by prodigious strength, swept the bayoneted rifle aside, fairly wrenching it from Overton's grasp.
So now the bear was ready, either for embrace or pursuit of this now helpless enemy.
Midshipman Dave Darrin, U. S. N., at the instant when he found the weight of the bulky animal removed from his body, had crawled noiselessly away for a few feet.
Now Darrin dropped to one knee, the rifle at ready. Aiming with the utmost coolness, the young Naval officer fired.