"I'll have to fight you with fire," he said, as he seized a large stick, one end of which was blazing.
In the hope that he might give him a greater scare than before, the lad swung it rapidly around his head until it was fanned into a roaring flame. While this was going on, he was surrounded, as it appeared, by a fiery8 circle, his appearance being such that the bravest quadruped living could not have been induced to approach within his reach. Not content with this, Ned assumed the aggressive. Stooping low, he emitted a wild yell, and repeating this, pointed9 the torch forward and toward him, moving it more rapidly and in a smaller circle, while at the same time he kept slowly advancing upon him.
No bear could be expected to withstand such a demonstration10. The figure of the yelling urchin11, with his head surrounded by a blazing serpent, must have struck terror to his very inmost being. Without pausing to do more than to utter a short growl12, he wheeled around and went crashing through the undergrowth as if under the belief that a battery had been suddenly unmasked and was about to open upon him. When he had retreated a few rods he paused to see how matters appeared, when he again beheld13 the horrid14 figure closer than ever and drawing nearer every moment. It was appalling15, and he plunged16 away at a greater speed than ever. Ned pursued him until he was fearful of getting so far away from the camp fire that he would lose it altogether. When he paused he could hear the bear still tramping off, as if he already felt the torch blistering17 his nose. Turning again, the lad ran with all speed to his "headquarters," where he flung down his torch and caught up his gun.
"Now I think I've got time to load it," he said, as he began the operation at once, a little alarmed, however, to discover that the supply of ammunition18 furnished him by Tom Hardynge was growing alarmingly small.
He succeeded in ramming19 the charge home, and then as he placed the cap upon the tube, he felt something of the old confidence that was his when astride the mustang and coursing over the prairie at a speed which no horse could equal. When first charged upon by the monster he had fired with such haste that he had no time to make any aim; now fortified20 by his camp fire, he meant to improve upon that. Everything being ready, he looked off into the gloom, but nothing was to be seen of the creature, nor did the slightest sound betray his whereabouts.
"He'll be sneaking21 back pretty soon," said the lad to himself, who was resolved to remain on the watch.
He was not kept waiting. A minute later he caught the slow crackling and trampling22 of some heavy creature through the undergrowth, and he was confident that his old enemy was close at hand. The lad sank down upon one knee, so close to the fire that it scorched23 him, and awaited his approach. But the grizzly had been so thoroughly24 scared that he hadn't entirely25 recovered from it. When something like twenty feet away he halted, and evidently began debating whether it would be prudent26 to approach.
Chadmund could not make out his figure distinctly, although he knew precisely27 where he was; but, by and by, when the head moved a little, he caught the phosphorescent glitter of the eyes. As the fire light shone upon the gun-barrel he wanted no better opportunity, and, supporting the weapon upon one knee, he pointed it straight at the center—that is, directly between those glowing orbs28, which remained stationary29, as if in waiting for the fatal messenger. It came the next moment. True to its aim, the tiny sphere of lead entered the head of the bear at the most vulnerable point, and the life went out from that huge mass. A rasping growl, a few spasmodic throes, and it was all over.
Ned was naturally exultant30 over his exploit, and he reflected that if matters went on in the same fashion, he could soon lay claim to being quite a hunter. He had shot an Indian, a buffalo31, and a grizzly bear, besides performing some other exploits not always accomplished32 by men.
"I guess the best plan is to load again," he muttered, as he adopted this precautionary measure. "That isn't the only grizzly bear in the country."
By this time the fire was running down, and the lad, throwing some more fuel upon it, seated himself directly in front, prepared to watch for further visitors. He had scarcely ensconced himself in this position when his hair fairly rose on end at hearing a low but distinct, growl, proving that some other unwelcome caller was about to pay him his respects.
He hurriedly looked in every direction, but could see nothing to explain the cause of this alarming manifestation33. It was so different from the warning uttered by the grizzly that he knew it must be some other sort of creature. Holding his rifle ready for instant use, he glanced hurriedly about him, but, although the camp fire was throwing out a long stream of light, no sign of an animal could be detected.
"I'm sure I heard something," he repeated, still wondering and looking around in search of the cause. "Hello! there it goes again. It sounds as if it were somewhere up in the air—it is in the air!"
The fire had been kindled34 against the face of a rock. This rock rose perpendicularly35 a dozen feet above the ground below, where the fire was burning, and where the lad was standing36. As he looked up he saw the gaunt figure of a large mountain wolf standing on the very edge of this, looking down upon him, its lank37 jaws38 distended39, its eyes glaring, and its whole appearance that of a ferocious40 beast about to leap down upon his head. The suggestion was so startling, that Ned uttered an exclamation41 of terror, and leaped back several feet.
It must be that when a wild beast comes across a boy, he concludes that even though he carries a gun there is nothing to be feared from him. The grizzly bear had shown a sublime42 indifference43 to Ned's capacity, and his life had paid the forfeit44. And now, although the mountain wolf must have seen him raise that rifle and point it as straight as the finger of fate directly at him, he paid no attention to it whatever; but there he stood, snarling45 and growling46, and on the very point of leaping.
Suddenly there was a short, sharp crack, and it was all over with the wolf. He must have gathered himself for a leap at that very moment; for the bullet that bored his brittle47 skull48 through and through did not prevent an outward bound. A faint yelp49 and the creature bounded full a dozen feet directly out from the rock, and, owing to some curious quirp of the muscles, turned a complete somerset, and would have landed directly upon the head of Ned if he hadn't sprung to one side as the carcass fell to the ground.
"That settles your case," remarked the boy, with the indifference of an old hunter. "Now it's time to load up again."
This done he settled himself to watch and listen and play the part of his own sentinel for the rest of the night. A faint moaning of the night-wind was all that reached his ears. Once he fancied he heard the report of a gun far away in the distance, but it was so faint that he might have been mistaken. Then a cry, somewhat resembling that made by a panther, was borne on the wind, but that, too, seemed to come from the mountains that were miles away to the westward50. No sound indicated the presence of any further danger close at hand. Everything was quiet, and seemingly at rest.
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1
grizzly
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| adj.略为灰色的，呈灰色的；n.灰色大熊 | |
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ruse
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| n.诡计，计策；诡计 | |
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regained
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| 复得( regain的过去式和过去分词 )； 赢回； 重回； 复至某地 | |
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robust
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| adj.强壮的，强健的，粗野的，需要体力的，浓的 | |
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tempting
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| a.诱人的, 吸引人的 | |
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maneuver
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| n.策略[pl.]演习；v.(巧妙)控制；用策略 | |
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7
foe
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| n.敌人，仇敌 | |
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fiery
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| adj.燃烧着的，火红的；暴躁的；激烈的 | |
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pointed
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| adj.尖的，直截了当的 | |
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demonstration
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| n.表明，示范，论证，示威 | |
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urchin
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| n.顽童；海胆 | |
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growl
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| v.（狗等）嗥叫，（炮等）轰鸣；n.嗥叫，轰鸣 | |
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13
beheld
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| v.看，注视( behold的过去式和过去分词 )；瞧；看呀；（叙述中用于引出某人意外的出现）哎哟 | |
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14
horrid
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| adj.可怕的；令人惊恐的；恐怖的；极讨厌的 | |
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appalling
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| adj.骇人听闻的，令人震惊的，可怕的 | |
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plunged
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| v.颠簸( plunge的过去式和过去分词 )；暴跌；骤降；突降 | |
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17
blistering
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| adj.酷热的；猛烈的；使起疱的；可恶的v.起水疱；起气泡；使受暴晒n.[涂料] 起泡 | |
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18
ammunition
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| n.军火，弹药 | |
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ramming
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| n.打结炉底v.夯实（土等）( ram的现在分词 )；猛撞；猛压；反复灌输 | |
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20
fortified
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| adj. 加强的 | |
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sneaking
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| a.秘密的，不公开的 | |
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22
trampling
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| 踩( trample的现在分词 )； 践踏； 无视； 侵犯 | |
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23
scorched
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| 烧焦，烤焦( scorch的过去式和过去分词 )； 使（植物）枯萎，把…晒枯； 高速行驶； 枯焦 | |
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24
thoroughly
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| adv.完全地，彻底地，十足地 | |
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entirely
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| ad.全部地，完整地；完全地，彻底地 | |
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prudent
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| adj.谨慎的，有远见的，精打细算的 | |
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precisely
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| adv.恰好，正好，精确地，细致地 | |
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28
orbs
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| abbr.off-reservation boarding school 在校寄宿学校n.球，天体，圆形物( orb的名词复数 ) | |
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29
stationary
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| adj.固定的，静止不动的 | |
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exultant
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| adj.欢腾的，狂欢的，大喜的 | |
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31
buffalo
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| n.(北美)野牛；(亚洲)水牛 | |
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32
accomplished
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| adj.有才艺的；有造诣的；达到了的 | |
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manifestation
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| n.表现形式；表明；现象 | |
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34
kindled
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| （使某物）燃烧，着火( kindle的过去式和过去分词 )； 激起（感情等）； 发亮，放光 | |
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perpendicularly
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| adv. 垂直地, 笔直地, 纵向地 | |
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36
standing
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| n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的 | |
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37
lank
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| adj.瘦削的；稀疏的 | |
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38
jaws
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| n.口部；嘴 | |
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39
distended
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| v.（使）膨胀，肿胀( distend的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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40
ferocious
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| adj.凶猛的，残暴的，极度的，十分强烈的 | |
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41
exclamation
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| n.感叹号，惊呼，惊叹词 | |
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42
sublime
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| adj.崇高的，伟大的；极度的，不顾后果的 | |
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43
indifference
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| n.不感兴趣，不关心，冷淡，不在乎 | |
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44
forfeit
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| vt.丧失；n.罚金，罚款，没收物 | |
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45
snarling
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| v.（指狗）吠，嗥叫， （人）咆哮( snarl的现在分词 )；咆哮着说，厉声地说 | |
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46
growling
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| n.吠声, 咆哮声 v.怒吠, 咆哮, 吼 | |
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47
brittle
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| adj.易碎的；脆弱的；冷淡的；(声音)尖利的 | |
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48
skull
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| n.头骨；颅骨 | |
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49
yelp
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| vi.狗吠 | |
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50
westward
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| n.西方，西部；adj.西方的，向西的；adv.向西 | |
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