“Keep your eyes right on him,” shouted Bill to the two who were preventing Tip from eating the bear. “The first minute he starts to run let Tip go, an’ yell as loud as you can.”
Then he ordered this boy behind a tree, and another into the branches, making such a warlike hubbub as probably was never before heard in those woods. Meanwhile Tip had concluded the best thing he could do was to take a rest, and he lay at full length under the tree, as if such an idea as chewing a bear had never entered his head.
Finally Bill made all his arrangements, and cautiously stepped a yard or two in advance, with both knife and gun ready for instant use.
“What do you think, Tim, had we better rush right in, or shall we throw a stone, an’ let Tip catch him when he runs out?” he asked, in a whisper, as if he was afraid of scaring the beast after all the noise that had been made.
“Heave a stone in; that’s the best way,” said Bobby, quickly, not liking the idea of being one of the party who were to make the rush.
Nearly all the boys showed that they preferred the most peaceable way of commencing the fight, and Bill prepared to start the savage beast from his lair.
At first he was at a loss to know what to do with his weapons while he cast the stone that might do so much mischief; but finally he arranged it to his satisfaction by holding the knife under his left arm, so that it could be drawn readily, and by keeping the gun in his left hand.
“Now look out!” he shouted, “an’ be ready to let Tip go when the bear comes out. All yell as loud as you can when I fire, so’s to scare him.”
Then Bill raised his arm, took deliberate aim at the centre of the clump of bushes, and threw the stone.