It occupied a brief time, during which Nick swam strongly and steadily,
and before the brute was master of the situation Nick's feet touched
bottom, and, taking the hand of Nellie in his own, they walked ashore.
"Where is he?" asked the girl, the moment their feet rested on dry land.
"He isn't far off," replied Nick, "and I don't think he cares to disturb
us, but I would rather keep him at a distance."
It may be set down as certain that Nick and Nellie were never in such
serious peril from the beast as they believed. The bear was of the
ordinary black kind, found in the Middle States, which is not
particularly savage, and often passes a person without offering him
harm.
It is only when the hunter and his dogs assail the brute, or when he is
driven by hunger, that he will boldly attack a person.
Besides this, the animal of which I am speaking, had, no doubt, been
routed out of his lair in the woods by the approach of the fire, and it
was the most he could do to reach the pond in time to save himself. This
accounted for his excessive fatigue, which made him loth to enter the
water, where he knew he must swim, and which caused him, after entering
it, immediately to make for the raft, that he might avail himself of its
support.
He had no purpose of molesting the children, and was too indolent to
resent the insignificant attack made upon him by Nick with the stick.
But it was not to be supposed that the boy and girl could feel any
assurance on this point, and their fright was such as would have come
to any older person placed as they were.
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