The floor of the dark grotto was strewn with pebbles. To walk without making a noise was impossible.
“Wait! Listen!” Lawrence whispered when they had covered some twenty paces.
As they paused, they caught a low hissing sound.
“Snakes,” the boy suggested.
“Not here. Too cold. It’s the bear. Get your rope ready.”
Slowly, cautiously they moved forward.
“There! There are his eyes.” Two balls of fire appeared directly before them.
And then things began to happen. A low snarl was followed by the sound of scattered pebbles. Blackie was hit by the rushing bear and bowled over like a ten pin. But Lawrence, quick as a cat, saw a hairy head, aimed a short swing and let go his rope.
Next instant he was shouting: “Blackie! Quick! Help! I got him! I got him!”
The husky little blue bear dragged them both to the very entrance of the cave. There, panting and tearing at the rope, he paused to glare at them. The rope was drawn tight about his shoulders with one foreleg through the loop.