transfixed for the moment. She did not turn and run, nor did she sink in
a swoon to the ground, but she stood just where she had stopped, until
she could find out what it meant.

She was not kept long in waiting, for in less than a minute the noise
was repeated, and at the same moment she caught the outlines of a huge
black bear swinging along toward her. He was coming down the bed of the
creek, with his awkward, ponderous tread, and when seen by Nellie was
within fifty feet of her.

When it is remembered that he was of unusual size and proceeding
straight toward the child, it seems impossible that she should have done
anything at all to help herself. The sight was enough to deprive her of
the power of motion and speech.

But it was in such a crisis as this that little Nellie Ribsam showed
that she had not forgotten the teaching of her parents: "God helps them
that help themselves."

With scarcely a second's pause, she whirled on her heel and dashed down
the stream with the utmost speed at her command.

The bear could not have failed to see her, though it is not to be
supposed that he was looking for the little girl when he first came
that way. Furthermore, had the chase lasted several minutes Nellie must
have fallen a victim to the savage animal.

It required no instruction to teach her that there was but one way in
which she could escape, and that was by climbing a tree. Had there been
a large one near at hand she would have ascended that as quickly as