It thus became a bomb shell, roughly made, it is true, yet none the less effective for all that. Then he took off his shirt, and tearing it up into small ribbons, he formed a long line. Fastening this to the horn he lighted the fuse, and then slowly lowered it.
At this extraordinary proceeding, all the well-known curiosity of the bear was aroused. He watched the horn solemnly, as it descended, and then as it came low down, he walked up to it and smelled it.
The smell of the burning fuse was offensive, and he expressed his disgust by a low growl.
At last the horn lay on the ground.
The bear was both puzzled and offended. He put his nose close down to it, and snuffed again and again at the butt of the horn. From above Allan watched with a quick-beating heart.
Suddenly there rang out a tremendous explosion, and a great cloud of smoke rolled up, hiding everything from view. Allan peered cautiously through this, but could see nothing for a long time.
But though nothing met his eyes, his ears were aware of a chaos of sounds--fierce growls of rage and pain--howls, shrieks and yells, all of which proved plainly that very severe damage had been done to somebody.
At last the smoke cleared away, and then Allan saw the bear. From his head, and breast, and forepaws the hair was all singed off; the skin was blackened to the hue of soot; his fiery eyes gleamed no more; they were tight shut, and with growls of agony the monster rushed frantically about, tossing, and jumping, and rolling over and over. The explosion had blinded him, and the fierce animal, in his blindness, presented a spectacle that was terrible to witness.
In his wild leaps and tumbles he went about in all directions, not knowing where. His agony had driven from him all thoughts of his late enemy.
Allan now sprang to the tree and quickly descended. He ran to his hut and seized his rifle and revolver. Then he hurried back. The bear was still writhing and rolling about in his blindness. One well directed shot, however, put an end to the monster's sufferings.