"Hurrah!"
Somehow he could not help giving vent to that boyish shout at the prospect of cheating the fire out of its anticipated prey, although he really had little breath to spare just then. He even fixed it in his mind just how he must first of all thrust his lower limbs through the opening, and then allow himself to slide downwards, for he could already see that the hole extended toward the earth.
It was not the first time Bob Armstrong found his nice little calculations upset by circumstances utterly beyond his control. Perhaps it would not be the last, either, since he expected to spend the major portion of his life roving the wilderness, in search of game, and in such labor as became a true pioneer.
Just as Bob reached the hole in the tree he became conscious of the fact that the old stump was being violently agitated, as though some one were climbing up below him. He even glanced down, filled with a dread lest Sandy had after all disobeyed, and chased after him.
Then something else attracted his attention and he raised his eyes, to make a most unpleasant discovery.
The hole in the tree was no longer vacant, but a bristling black head and a pair of very frightened eyes met his startled gaze!
CHAPTER XVII
A STRANGE PRISON
The bear looked at Bob; and Bob stared at the bear.