“Look out, Lester! Run for your life!” he cried.
Aroused by the exclamation, Don turned his eyes from Lester to the bear, and saw that the animal had regained her feet, and having knocked down one of the hounds was rushing upon Lester with open mouth. Don was frightened now, for he believed that something dreadful was about to happen; but his nerve did not fail him nor did he hesitate an instant. Dropping his empty rifle, and seizing the double barrel which Bert promptly handed him, already cocked, he drew the weapon to his shoulder, and by a hasty snap-shot saved Lester’s life. The bear and her intended victim both dropped at the report, the one mortally wounded and the other in a dead faint. So closely together did they fall that the bear, in her death struggle, tore Lester’s clothing with her claws. Bert at once dashed forward to drag him out of danger, while Don ended the battle by firing another charge of buckshot into the animal’s head. Lester could now say that he had been within five feet of a bear, and tell nothing but the truth.
“Well, this beats anything I ever heard of,” said Don, as soon as he had made sure that the bear was dead. “How do you suppose Lester got here? I didn’t see any boat on the beach, did you?”
“No,” answered Bert; “I was too badly frightened to see anything.”
“But there’s a boat there all the same,” said a voice.
Don and Bert looked wonderingly at each other. “Who’s that?” demanded the latter, after a moment’s hesitation.
“Bob Owens!”
The rustling among the branches which accompanied these words told the brothers where to look to find the speaker. They walked toward the foot of a neighboring sapling, and, looking upward, saw Bob Owens coming down. His pale face and trembling hands showed that he, as well as Lester, had sustained something of a fright.
“Why, Bob, what in the world brought you here?” exclaimed Bert.
“I came up to find the bear that drove you and Don off the island a few days ago,” replied Bob. “I found her, too,” he added, suddenly pausing in his descent as an angry growl fell upon his ear. It was uttered by one of the hounds, which recognised in Bob the robber who had been compelled to take refuge on the roof of the negro cabin. He looked up at the boy and showed him the teeth he had come so near using on him that night.