“I was passin’ quietly round this pint, lookin’ down into the gully, with Crop at my heels, when, on turnin’ the short elbow, there I stood, face to face, and within ten feet of a mighty big bear, that was travellin’ my way, as the Judge said.  I had no idee that he was around, and I’m quite sartain he didn’t expect to meet a human in such a place.  Of course, we were naterally astonished at seein’ one another just then, and the meetin’ didn’t seem to be altogether agreeable to either party.  I ain’t easily scared when I’ve time to prepare for a scrimmage, yet, I’m free to say, I’d have given a couple of wolf-scalps to’ve been on the other side of the gully, just at that time.  The bear seemed to expect me to begin the fight, for, after gruntin’ out in a very oncivil way his surprise at makin’ my acquaintance, he reared himself up on eend, and, with a fierce growl, showed a set of ivory that wasn’t pleasant to look at.  I should have been willin’ myself, to’ve backed down, and apologized for my rudeness in crossin’ his path, for I was carryin’ my rifle carelessly in my left hand, and our meetin’ was so sudden that I scarcely had time to bring it to bear upon the kritter.  I rather think I should have dodged back, any how, but Crop seemed to think his master was in danger, and that he was obligated, live or die, to go in.  So, quick as a flash, he rushed by me, and threw himself into the very face of the desperate brute.  Crop made a great mistake when he calculated he was a match for that bear, for, with one cuff, the animal sent him eend over eend down the bank, upon the broken rocks below.  But the little time that was so occupied saved me a deal of trouble and danger, for it lasted just long enough for me to bring my rifle into position, which I did about the quickest, you may bet your life on that.  I run my eye along the barrel, sighted him between the eyes, and pulled.  The bear keeled over onto his back with a jerk, gave a spiteful kick with both hind feet, and he, too, went over the ledge onto the sharp rocks below.  I looked over, and saw Crop staggerin’ to his feet, and lookin’ about in a bewildered way, as if not quite understandin’ how he came there.  I went round a little way, and got down into the gully where the animals were.  I found the bear stone dead, and Crop with two ribs broken and his shoulder out of joint, whinin’, and moanin’ piteously with pain.  I set his shoulder as well as I could, and, after takin’ the skin off the bear, I backed him two miles to my shanty.  It was a fortnight before he ‘left the house,’ but he learned a little piece of wisdom by that cuff that sent him down the bank, and got a little insight into the nater of an angry bear.”

[Illustration:  Crop made a great mistake when he calculated he was a match for that bear, for, with one cuff, the animal sent him eend over eend down the bank, upon the broken rocks below.  But the little time that was so occupied saved me a deal of trouble and danger, for it lasted just long enough for me to bring my rifle into position, which I did about the quickest, you may bet your life on that.]