CHAPTER II.

Boone hunts the bear--Hounds and terriers--Sneak Punk, the Hatchet-
face--Another stump--The high passes--The bear roused--The
chase--A sight--A shot--A wound--Joe--His meditations--His friend,
the bear--The bear retreats--Joe takes courage--He fires--Immense
execution--Sneak--The last struggle--Desperation of the bear--His
death--Sneak's puppies--Joe.


By the time the first streaks of gray twilight marked the eastern
horizon, Boone, at the head of the party of hunters, set out from the
encampment and proceeded down the river in the direction of the place
where Joe had been so roughly handled by Bruin. All, with the
exception of Glenn and his man, being accustomed to much walking, were
on foot. Glenn rode his white steed, and Joe was mounted on his little
black pony. The large hounds belonging to Boone, and the curs,
spaniels, and terriers of the emigrants were all taken along. As they
proceeded down the river, Boone proposed the plan of operations which
was to guide their conduct in the chase, and each man was eager to
perform his part, whatever it might be. It was arranged that a portion
of the company should precede the rest, and cross the level woodland
about two miles in width, to a range of hills and perpendicular cliffs
that appeared to have once bounded the river, and select such ravines
or outlets as in their opinion the bear would be most likely to pass
through, if he were indeed still in the flat bottom-land. At these
places they were to station themselves with their guns well charged,
and either await the coming of the animal or the drivers; the first