[Illustration: You shall not kill my friend the bear.]

At this unexpected happening, the young man turned with a start and a
snarl, like a dog from whom one would take away his bone.

"Who are you?" he cried angrily. "How dare you interrupt my sport! Do
you know who I am?"

"I do not care who you are!" answered John. "You shall not hunt in
these woods, You must go away."

"Go away!"

The face of the stranger was white with rage. He turned from the tree
in which the bear had now found a place of safety behind a crotch, and
pointed his arrow at John. The lad saw his danger. Even as the
stranger drew the arrow to its head John leaped forward; before the
other knew what was happening, John seized him in his arms and with a
mighty effort wrenched away the weapon. It was wonderful how easily he
mastered this fellow, who was some inches taller than himself.

Beside himself with rage, the stranger grappled with John, and then
began a wrestling match strange to see. If the bear up in the tree
knew what it all meant, he must have been very much excited.

The two lads clinched, swayed, and finally fell to the ground, rolling
over and over. The stranger pummeled and kicked, scratched and bit.
John merely defended himself, holding his enemy firmly and trying to
keep him under. It was easy to see that he was the stronger of the
two. Presently the young man began to weaken, and at last John felt