This time Tip understood, and he bounded into the thicket, while each one of the party held his breath in suspense, and grasped his weapons, ready for immediate use.
The moment Tip was hidden by the bushes he began to bark furiously, and there was no doubt but that the battle had commenced. Even Bill Thompson appeared to be a little timid, and he no longer advised a rush, even though there was a chance that the skin was being destroyed. However, he did suggest that Tim and Bobby should go in and put a rope around Tip’s neck, so that he could be pulled away as soon as the bear was dead; but his advice was not taken, nor did there seem any chance that it would be.
Once Bobby took deliberate aim in the direction of the noise made by Tip, and was just lighting a match to discharge the weapon when Tim stayed his murderous hand.
“You might kill Tip, an’ then we’d have to fight the bear all by ourselves, ’cause Tip must have bit him some by this time an’ made him mad.”
No suggestion could have been made which would have stopped Bobby quicker, and he turned very pale at the thought of being deprived of Tip’s protection, dropping his gun very quickly.
Just at this time, when all were growing nervous and excited, the sounds in the bushes told that the beast was at last being driven from its lair. Quite a number of the party lost all interest in the matter when they found they were to have a full view, and immediately retreated to a safe distance.
But Bill, Tim, and Bobby held a portion of their ground manfully, knowing they would be in deepest disgrace if they, the leaders of the party, should make any undignified flight. However, they thought their dignity would not suffer to any great extent if they should hide behind a tree, and they did so at once.
The crackling and crashing of the bushes told that some large animal was being driven out by Tip; and as they watched in breathless—perhaps frightened—anxiety one of the causes of the commotion stalked out into view, while at the same time an exclamation of disgust and relief burst from Bill Thompson’s lips:
“Gracious! it’s only Bobby Tucker’s cow!”
And so it was. The bear had turned into a peaceful, rather sleepy-looking old cow, who had sought the shade of the bushes, only to be driven from her cool retreat by Tip Babbige and a lot of noisy boys.