It must not be supposed that Frank and Archie were entirely unmoved by what had just happened.  The strange conduct of the hounds, and the desperate flight of Johnny’s horse, were enough to satisfy them that there was some dangerous animal in the bushes in front of them, and the uncertainty of what that animal might be, caused them no little uneasiness.  Grizzly bears were frequently met with among the mountains, and they sometimes extended their excursions into the plains, occasioning a general stampede among the stock of the nearest ranch.  The grizzly is as much the king of beasts in his own country as the lion in Africa and Asia; and Frank and Archie, during their sojourn at the Old Bear’s Hole, had become well enough acquainted with his habits and disposition to know that, if their enemy in the bushes belonged to that species, they were in a dangerous neighborhood.  The grizzly might, at any moment, assume the offensive, and in that event, if their horses became entangled in the bushes, or were rendered unmanageable by fright, their destruction was certain.  This knowledge caused their hearts to beat a trifle faster than usual, and Frank’s hand trembled a little as he unbuckled the holsters in front of his saddle, and grasped one of his revolvers.  But neither he nor Archie had any intention of discontinuing their journey, or of leaving the field without having at least one shot at the animal, whatever it might be.

“Now, boys,” said Frank, in an excited whisper, “we have a splendid chance to immortalize ourselves.  If that is a grizzly, and we should be fortunate enough to kill him, it would be something worth bragging about, wouldn’t it?  If I only had my rifle!”

“We must rely upon our friend, here,” said Archie.  “It’s lucky that he is with us, for he is an old hunter, and he won’t mind riding into the bushes, and driving him out—­will you, Arthur?”

“Eh!” exclaimed that young gentleman, who trembled so violently that he could scarcely hold his reins.

“I say, that, as you are the most experienced in such matters, we shall be obliged to depend upon you to drive the bear out of the bushes into open ground,” repeated Archie, who did not appear to notice his friend’s trepidation.  “We can’t all go in there to attack him, for he would be sure to catch some of us.  What have you in that gun?”

“B-u-c-k-s-h-o-t,” replied Arthur, in an almost inaudible voice.  “Let’s go home.”

“Go home!” exclaimed Frank; “and without even one shot at that fellow!  No, sir.  You’ve got the only gun in the party, and, of course, you are the one to attack him.  Go right up the path, and when you see him, bang away.”

“How big is he?” asked Arthur.

“Why, if he is a full-grown grizzly, he is as big as a cow.”

“Will he fight much?”

“I should say he would,” answered Archie, who was somewhat surprised at these questions.  “Have you forgotten the one you killed with your knife?  He will be certain to follow you, if you don’t disable him at the first shot, but he can’t catch your horse.  Besides, as soon as he comes in sight, Frank and I will give him a volley from our revolvers.  You are not afraid?”