"Grimshaw was writing about grizzlies. These are black bears."
"Oh!" Alex Jackson elevated his brows. "You can say definitely that they will not charge?"
"Nobody can say that. They're wild animals."
"I thought so!" Alex Jackson seemed vastly relieved. "Will a shotgun halt them when they charge?"
"Oh, yes."
Ted wished he could sink through the floor. Expecting hunters, he had his hands full of what, very literally, were babes in the woods. But they had a great dream and a great hope, and regardless of who told them that not once in 1000 times will even a wounded black bear charge a hunter, they wouldn't believe it because they did not care to believe it. They had come bear hunting to live dangerously!
Alex Jackson nodded happily. "Thank you very much. Now will you please show us the camp?"
"Follow me."
As he drove up the Lorton Road, Ted gave himself over to his own grim thoughts. Obviously, there was much more to building and renting camps than met the casual eye. One never knew who was coming or what they'd do. Now he was certain only that this crew of naive hopefuls should not venture into the Mahela alone. He wasn't even sure that they should be permitted to stay in camp without supervision, but he'd risk that much for at least one night. He parked in front of the camp, waited for his guests and admitted them.
"Just what I'd hoped for!" Alex Jackson exclaimed. "Semi-primitive surroundings! Delightful!"