The Old House By the River

r came up the side of the ravine as rapidly as he could ascend. Half way up the hill he was exposed to Joe's unerring aim, and a ball crashed through his head just under his eye. " A little too low, Joe. Give him the next ball on his cheek, between the eye and ear." " Give him your ball, Phil. I have forgotten to load my second barrel." 1. He had paused a moment, and now stood on the trunk of a tree, which he was crossing, when my ball met him. His hold loosened, and he fell back, and rolled a hundred feet down into the very spot where he had been standing with his companion. " Now, Joe, about that other one. It is a clear case that we can't get this one's hide without a battle with the other. What say you ?" " I am ready. Let us load first." We loaded both barrels; (we each carry a swivel breach rifle,) and began our perilous descent, in which a misstep or a stumble would send us into the embrace of an enemy that would have little mercy. The bear continued under cover of the trees which laypiled iii the hollow, and it was a slow task to approach him, for we had to climb over masses of fallen timber, jump down into spaces between them, and climb again to the top of other masses, and so ascend and descend until we reached the spot. As I sprang from a pile of trees, some ten feet high, into a square sort of enclosure, surrounded by similar piles, I was startled at a sharp, quick snarl, and out rushed the enemy tenfold more frightened than I w...