"
The boy hoped that the scorching earth would keep the beast from chasing
him with too much ardor, but it did not; and, as there was no other
recourse, he ran to a sapling, up which he climbed with the celerity of
a monkey.
Even as it was, it was within a second of being too late. The bear was
so close that, rising on his haunches, he reached his paws and grasped
the lowermost foot of Nick, whose hair fairly rose on end, as he thought
for the moment that he was going to be dragged down into the crushing
embrace of the dreaded animal.
But, fortunately, the shoe pulled off, and, before the bear could
understand it, the supple lad was perched above his reach and looking
down upon him.
"Well," said Nick, with a sigh, "this is considerably more than I
counted on. I didn't think, from the way you acted in the water, that
you were anything but a big coward; but I'm thankful enough you didn't
get your claws on me."
The huge creature examined the shoe carefully and, finding there was no
boy in it, dropped it to the ground, and, sitting on his haunches, again
looked longingly upward at the fellow perched just above his reach, as
though he understood what a choice dinner he would afford a bruin of his
size.
When he ran out his red tongue and licked his inky snout, Nick could not
help laughing.
"Not just yet, old fellow; I'd rather stay here two or three days than
come down to you."
When some minutes had passed, Nick began to feel that the situation had
nothing funny in it at all.
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