back, and Long Brown thoughtfully took the front pole with him, letting
the canvas down over the bear and impeding pursuit. The lamps were
broken in the fall, and the oil blazed up under the canvas. Col.
Orndorff, Mr. Stewart, Bill Gibson, Doughnut Bill and the cook, Noisy
Smith, climbed trees before taking time to see how matters were getting
arranged in the tent, and Long Brown stopped at the brink of the pool
and turned around to see if the bear was following him.

There was complicated trouble in the tent. The bear had tangled
himself in the canvas and was blindly tossing it about, rolling himself
up in the slack, and audibly complaining of the fire and smoke. The
rifles, shot-guns and all but one revolver had been left in the tent,
and presently they began to pop. Doughnut Bill, safe in a sycamore,
hitched around to the lee side of the trunk and said: "Mr. Brown, I
seriously advise that you emulate the judicious example of the other
gentlemen in this game and avoid exposing yourself unnecessarily to
such promiscuous and irresponsible shooting as that bear is doing."

"That's dead straight," added Col. Orndorff. "Shin up a tree, Brown,
or you'll get plunked."

"Think I'll mix in a little," replied Brown, drawing his gun and
opening fire upon the center of the disturbance. A bursting shot gun
answered his first shot, and the charge plowed a furrow near Long Brown
and threw dirt in his face. Then the cartridge boxes began exploding
as the fire reached them, exciting the bear to more tumultuous
struggles with the enfolding canvas and louder roars of pain and rage.
The five-gallon oil can, probably punctured by Long Brown's bullets,
furnished the climax to the volcanic display by blowing up and filling
the air with burning canvas, blankets and hardware, and out of the fire