“This is the time they ought to get their pictures,” thought Snap.

An instant later he saw something fluttering in the bushes below the pool.  Shep and Giant were there and had their cameras in action.  The bear continued to stand upright, but presently he dropped on all fours and began to lumber away from the brook at a good rate of speed.

To have waited longer would have been foolish, and taking careful aim, Snap fired his shotgun twice.  Scarcely had the two reports rung out than Giant also fired, followed, a few seconds later, by the doctor’s son.

The aims of all three of the young hunters were true, and the bear received such a peppering of buckshot that he was seriously if not mortally wounded.  He dropped down, dragged himself up again, and roared with rage and pain.

“Give him another!” yelled Snap as he started to reload.

Giant was the first to run into the opening, and as the bear saw the youth he snarled viciously and showed his teeth.  He tried to rush at the boy, but Giant discharged the second barrel of his shotgun and the charge took the bear in the head.  Then the doctor’s son fired again, and hit the animal in the side.  This was too much for bruin, and with a rocking motion he staggered forward a few steps and then pitched on his head, dead.

“We’ve got him!  We’ve got him!” yelled the small youth, dancing around wildly and flinging his cap into the air.  “Isn’t this the dandy luck?”

“Did you get the pictures?” questioned Snap, leaping down the rocks to where the game lay.

“We sure did,” answered the doctor’s son.  “And I’ve got one of you aiming your gun right at the bear.  I tilted the camera up a little to get it.”

“What a fine bear!” cried Giant.

“We never got a better,” answered Snap.  “Oh, this is certainly prime luck!”

“We’ll have to take some more pictures—–­of our game,” said Shep, and without delay they took several plates and films—–­the two cameras being of each kind.  All the boys were in the pictures, and of these photographs they were justly proud.

“Now, the question is, what are we going to do with the bear?” said Snap.  “We can’t drag such a load to our camp.”

“We’ll have to skin the animal and take what meat we want,” answered the doctor’s son.  “It’s too bad to leave so much behind, but it can’t be helped.  It won’t keep in this weather, anyway.”

“If only Jed Sanborn was here—–­he might take some of it home.”

“I’ll tell you what we can do,” said Giant.  “Try to drag the carcass—–­or a big part of it—–­up to the lion’s pit.  It will help to feed that beast until the circus folks come.”

“That’s an idea,” said Shep.  “And if we keep the lion well fed he won’t try so hard to get away.  Menagerie animals are always lazy when well fed—–­one of the keepers told me that.  They only get restless when they are hungry.”