“Oh, let them have their visit!” Clay replied, with a silent but pronounced chuckle. “We ought to feel grateful to the bear for going to the trouble of calling on us. I hope Captain Joe will keep away for a while yet. He would make trouble, I’m afraid. Hear the two talking together! I’d like to know what kind of a tale Teddy is telling.”
Teddy was whining like a puppy and the newcomer was uttering low and threatening growls. It was evident that she knew that hostile creatures were not far away. The boys could see only the dim figures moving about, but it seemed that the bear was trying to coax Teddy away, and that Teddy was trying to obey but was held back by the rope.
“She’ll bite through the rope!” Case whispered, “and Teddy will get away if we don’t do something before long. Alex wouldn’t like to lose the little scamp. Suppose we throw a bit of electricity at her,” he went on. “She might run at the sight of the light.”
Presently they heard a crash in the cabin, as if the grizzly had taken full possession there and was rearranging the furniture to suit her personal tastes. It sounded as if she had climbed up on the table and broken it down with her great weight. Clay’s whispered estimate was that she must weigh nearly a ton.
“I know what she’s doing,” Clay chuckled. “There is a box of sugar on a shelf near the door, and she is trying to get that. She’s got her nerve, to invite herself to supper and then break the furniture!”
A shot and a loud call now came from the dark forest, and Captain Joe’s deep voice came booming out of the shadows. The boy and the dog were returning, and the situation was becoming more complicated.
“If Captain Joe comes up,” Clay whispered, “he’ll attack the bear, and she’ll give him one swipe and then there won’t be any Captain Joe. We’ll have to turn on our lights and shoot. Only be careful!”
The dog’s voice came nearer and nearer. It was evident that Alex was bringing in some kind of game, and that Captain Joe was making a kind of triumphal progress for him!
The grizzly was now making a great noise in the cabin, and Teddy was expressing his anger at the lack of attention. The boys crept toward the boat and waited for the bear to emerge from the cabin, so they could get a shot at her, but she seemed satisfied with the trouble she was making on the inside and remained there. Clay moved along toward the prow, his automatic ready for use.
“What now?” demanded Case, keeping at his side.