“Just what we want!” cried Tom.  “Now, if we only had a gun——­”

He broke off short, as a crashing outside greeted their ears.  The noise continued several seconds, then ceased abruptly.

“What do you suppose that was?” questioned Sam.  “It can’t be our enemies returning.”

“No, I think it was some wild animal—­perhaps a wildcat.”

Both looked around for some weapon with which to defend themselves, and Sam caught sight of a double-barreled shotgun standing in a corner of the cave.  He ran for this, and as he did so the crashing outside was continued.

“I see something under the brushwood!” whispered Tom, peeping out.  “Something big and black.”

“It’s a bear!” cried Sam, a minute later.  “A black bear!  And he is coming this way!”

Both boys were astonished and bewildered, for they had not been looking for such a big beast as this.  Sam clutched the shotgun tightly, while Tom ran to the fire and picked up the biggest brand he could hold.

The bear advanced to the center of the gully and looked up and down suspiciously.  Then he sniffed the air.

“He smells the carcass of the fox that lies outside,” whispered Tom.

“Well, he must smell us, too, Tom.  It’s a wonder he doesn’t run.  Mr. Barrow said bears up here were generally shy.”

“I reckon he is pretty hungry.  Here he comes for the fox meat now.”

Tom was right.  The bear was advancing with great care, sniffing the snow-covered ground at every step.  Once or twice he raised his head, as if preparing to rum at the first sign of alarm.

“I’d like to bring him down!” whispered Sam.

“You can’t do it with the shotgun, Sam.  Be quiet!  We can be thankful if he takes the fox meat and leaves us alone.”

At last the bear reached the carcass.  The two boys expected he would snatch it up instantly and run away, but they were mistaken.  The bear sniffed it from end to end, and walked all around it.

“He’s afraid of a trap, or something like that,” whispered Tom.  “They are pretty cute.”

At last the bear seemed satisfied, and he took the carcass up in his mouth and started to walk off with it.  But, instead of turning up or down the gully, he came closer to the cave!

“My gracious, he’s coming this way!” cried Sam.  “Look out, Tom!”

His voice was so loud that the black bear heard it plainly.  The beast immediately dropped the fox meat and stood up on his hind legs.  Then he gave a roar of disappointment; thinking, probably, that the boys had set a bait to catch him.

“He don’t like the situation,” began Tom, when he gave a yell and clutched his brother by the arm.  And small wonder, for with rapid strides the black bear was making for them, as though to chew them both up!

CHAPTER XXIV.

Together again.