in crossin' his path, for I was carryin' my rifle carelessly in my
left hand, and our meetin' was so sudden that I scarcely had time to
bring it to bear upon the kritter. I rather think I should have dodged
back, any how, but Crop seemed to think his master was in danger, and
that he was obligated, live or die, to go in. So, quick as a flash, he
rushed by me, and threw himself into the very face of the desperate
brute. Crop made a great mistake when he calculated he was a
match for that bear, for, with one cuff, the animal sent him
eend over eend down the bank, upon the broken rocks below.
But the little time that was so occupied saved me a deal of
trouble and danger, for it lasted just long enough for me to bring
my rifle into position, which I did about the quickest, you may bet
your life on that. I run my eye along the barrel, sighted him between
the eyes, and pulled. The bear keeled over onto his back with a jerk,
gave a spiteful kick with both hind feet, and he, too, went over the
ledge onto the sharp rocks below. I looked over, and saw Crop
staggerin' to his feet, and lookin' about in a bewildered way, as if
not quite understandin' how he came there. I went round a little way,
and got down into the gully where the animals were. I found the bear
stone dead, and Crop with two ribs broken and his shoulder out of
joint, whinin', and moanin' piteously with pain. I set his shoulder as
well as I could, and, after takin' the skin off the bear, I backed him
two miles to my shanty. It was a fortnight before he 'left the house,'
but he learned a little piece of wisdom by that cuff that sent him
down the bank, and got a little insight into the nater of an
angry bear."

[Illustration: Crop made a great mistake when he calculated he was a
match for that bear, for, with one cuff, the animal sent him eend over
eend down the bank, upon the broken rocks below. But the little time