"
"I know that; don't you suppose a bear will keep that long? This one has
known enough to stay out of sight until the fire has forced him from
his hiding-place."
After Nellie had heard her brother call to her, she was fearful that if
she answered she would betray herself to the brute, who would instantly
make for her; so she held her peace, even though she saw nothing of the
bear, and venturing on a rather feeble answer when the tones of Nick
told how much apprehension he was suffering over his failure to find
her.
Now that the two were on the raft, which was shoved out in the deep
water, something like confidence came back to her, and she was willing
to talk about the beast.
"I can't imagine what has become of him," said the brother, after her
story was told; "from what I have heard and read, the bear is not afraid
of water, and they often go in to bathe, just like us boys, for the fun
of the thing. I don't see why he should have waited when he had the fire
to urge him on."
"Maybe he is swimming around the lake now," whispered Nellie, looking
over as much of the surface as was visible through the hot smoke.
"I shouldn't be surprised, though it is odd that I did not see him,"
said Nick, pressing his pole against the bottom; "he is not far off, you
may depend."
"There! didn't you hear him?" asked Nellie, a moment later, as something
like the grunt of a huge hog alarmed both brother and sister.
CHAPTER XXXVI.
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