reared up on his hind legs and clawed at the pine planks which shut
him in. He had not long continued this performance when his claws
caught in the crack of a loosened board. There was a ripping creak
and a crash, and down came the board. Another followed, and
Solomon, ceasing his violent threats for the instant, peered
through a wide gap into another domain. His hesitation was brief;
he scrambled through, walked out of the open door of the
horse-stall into an alley, and sought wider range.

At first the boys were a little frightened, but they concluded that
Solomon would not be able to climb into the loft, and that it was
safer for them to stay above than to go down the ladder, for the
grizzly might easily push aside one of the half-dozen sliding doors
and get out of the barn.

The barn was at a considerable distance from the house, so they
determined not to alarm the women unless Solomon should get outside
and so make it necessary. They sat for a time listening to the
monotonous bawling of the cow. Solomon seemed to have lost interest
in her noise, as they heard him now and then rummaging among the
empty stalls.

They had begun to hope that the bear would not find his way out of
the stalls, when they heard him scrambling heavily.

Then came a resounding thump as he dropped from one of the open
mangers to the floor of the barn.

Almost instantly a terrific bawling and uproar broke out below.
Solomon had reached the cow at last. The boys ran to the edge of