CHAPTER IV
LUB'S BEAR
"It's Lub!" exclaimed X-Ray, like a flash, for he was always quick tojump at conclusions.
"He's fallen in one of his holes!" gasped Ethan.
"Not much; it's something worse than that!" cried Phil, as another whoopcame to their ears.
It happened that they could not see out on the ice where they werestanding, and consequently the first thing any of them thought of doingwas to jump around the patch of bushes so as to get a clear view.
They could hardly believe their eyes. There was poor Lub trying hislevel best to run over the smooth ice, with a shaggy black bear in hotpursuit! Even as they looked the animal went through a queer sort ofgymnastic performance, as though striving to seize hold of some objectthat Lub seemed to be dragging after him.
"It's a fish on one of his lines the bear wants!" exclaimed Phil, hardlyknowing whether to burst out laughing, or consider the situation aserious one for the terrified boy on the ice.
He compromised matters by darting aside and snatching up his rifle; anact that caught the eye of Ethan Allen, and was instantly copied by thatwideawake individual.
"Help! make him let up chasing after me!" shouted Lub, as well as he wasable, considering the fact that he kept slipping and rolling over, onlyto scramble wildly to his feet, and start off once more in his clumsyfashion.
"Let him have the fish you're dragging after you!" shouted Phil, even ashe began to move out on the ice, with the other two at his heels.
"I can't! Line's got fast to my leg; and he ate up all the othersanyway!" Lub called back, as he waddled along with frantic zeal.
"Turn to the left so you'll be out of range when we shoot!" bellowedPhil.
Apparently the fugitive heard this, and also understood, for they couldsee that he was doing his best to obey; though the slippery ice did playall manner of tricks with those uncertain "pins" of his, causing himmany a frantic struggle.
As he ran Lub could not keep from "rubbering" as Ethan called it. Hewould twist his fat neck around in order to learn just how close hishairy pursuer chanced to be at the moment. This helped to make hisflight more uncertain, and brought about his downfall several times.
As Phil and Ethan were much more surefooted than the stout boy, and notat all frightened, they made better progress. On this account theygained continually, so that when Lub had managed to sheer off, andpresented his left side to them, they were really close enough to makesure of the bear.
"Ready, Ethan?" called out Phil.
"Yes!" came the reply, as both of them suddenly stopped short.
The two reports sounded almost as one. Lub gave another squeal as thoughhis nerves were strained to the limit; but when on casting one of hisapprehensive looks over his shoulder he saw his tormentor strugglingthere on the ice as though he had received his death hurt, the fat boy'shumor changed.
"Give him some more, fellows!" he shrieked. "The glutton! to devour allmy fine fish. We'll make it up by feasting on bear steak to-night, then;that's the only way to get even. Oh! he's getting up again, and he's gotit in for me because I said that. Shoot him once more, Phil!"
"It's no use, because he's done for," Phil told him, for the bear afterthat expiring effort had fallen back again, and given his last kick.
When Lub made sure of this, and saw that his chums were all gatheredabout the fallen animal, he summoned up enough courage to join thecircle.
"How did it happen, Lub?" asked X-Ray, who had now joined the rest.
The stout chum rubbed his chin, and shrugged his plump shoulders.
"Gee! but he did give me a terrible shock!" he remarked, as though oncemore passing through the dreadful experience of the surprise.
"Tell us about it," urged Ethan; "and how did it come you let him eat upall your fish without giving the alarm?"
"Well, this is about the way it happened," Lub began. "My back wasturned on the pile of fish for I was fighting with the gamiest one ofthe lot, this husky muscalonge here, the only real decent one that'sleft," and he mournfully surveyed the still flopping fish that he hadbeen dragging after him all the while.
"Yes, go on, what happened then?" continued the eager X-Ray.
"Why, I remember hearing some sort of champing sound back of me, but Iguess I must have thought you fellows were making it ashore. Anyway Inever bothered paying the least bit of attention to the same but kept onfighting this musky here for all I was worth. Whew!"
"You pulled the fish in finally of course?" said Ethan as the otherpaused to wipe his streaming forehead for all it was so cold.
"Yes, with a great big yank," Lub explained. "It kind of flew throughthe air a bit, and I turned at the same time to see that bear rear up onhis hind legs and do his level best to grab the flying fish. When itfell to the ice he started for it, and that was when I managed to letoff my first whoop for help."
"Yes, I kind of thought you called out that word, but I wasn't deadsure," X-Ray told him; "but what next did you-all do, as our old friendSimon Blodgett down on the Coast would say?"
"What, me? I ran like everything, fell down, got on my feet again, andseeing the bear putting after me I kept agoing and awhooping for all Iwas worth."
"Did you know he was after the fish, and not you?" asked Phil, secretlyamused, though managing to keep a straight face.
"Why, yes, I got on to that wrinkle, all right," replied the other,"because I could see him trying to fall on the fish every chance he had.But I objected to turning over my last catch to the old scoundrel; evenif the line hadn't gone and got fast to my leg I don't believe I'd havelet him have it, unless it came to nip and tuck with me."
"Well, you have plenty of time to gather another lot of fish, Lub,"suggested Ethan; "and after all, your adventure has been the means ofgaining us our first fresh meat in Canada. We paid enough for ourlicenses to hunt up here to want to get the worth of our good money."
"And, Phil, don't you think I've got a right to call him _my_ bear?"asked Lub, as if struck with a sudden inspiration.
"What! after the two of us shot him?" ejaculated Ethan.
"But didn't I _lure_ him along with my trailing muscalonge?" demandedLub, triumphantly; "if it hadn't been for me fishing so industriouslyout here on the ice, and tempting Bruin to show himself, would you havehad a chance to shoot? I guess not. You only finished my work for me; Imust have had him all tired out running."
Ethan wore a wide grin by that time.
"Sure you did, Lub," he declared frankly, with a wink toward Phil;"anybody could see that you meant to wear him down to his death. Histongue was hanging out of his mouth, and if you'd kept him going _longenough_ there isn't any doubt but that the poor thing would have turnedup his toes without a single shot being fired. We'll call him Lub'scoaxed bear after this."
"There's two of your tip-ups acting crazy, Lub," called out X-Ray justthen; "and you'd better be taking off the fish you'll find on thehooks."
"Isn't this the greatest sort of sport though?" said Lub, as he startedoff to attend to his lines.
"It certainly couldn't well be beaten!" admitted Phil, as he and his twocomrades indulged in a fit of laughter that was none the less vigorousbecause they chose to keep it silent, out of consideration for thefeelings of their beloved fat chum.
"I wonder how it comes this chap hadn't gone into winter quarters yet?"Ethan remarked, poking the dead bear with the toe of his boot. "Down ourway they can seldom be seen after the first snowfall, and never come outuntil there is a regular break-up of winter."
"Well, away up here the winter lasts much longer, and that would accountfor it," Phil suggested. "They may want to stay out to the very last,knowing how it holds on away up to May. But no matter what the cause,this fine fat fellow stayed out too long."
"He'll not hibernate any more if we know it," observed X-Ray Tyson, witha satisfied smirk; "instead he'll help to fill up four hungry chaps Ihappen to be acquainted with. And after all what nobler end could anybear wish to come to than that?"
Two of the boys returned, to get busy again on the shack; while Philstayed out on the ice to attend to taking the hide from the dead bear,and securing what choice portions they wanted.
It promised to be a long task, but Phil did it, as he was in the habitof doing everything he undertook, with exactness. Lub kept on takingmore fish, though whenever he found a breathing spell between bites hewould amble over to watch what Phil was doing, and make remarks.
"I'll have that skin made into a fine rug, some of these days," hedeclared, as he ran his hand over the silky hair; "and every time I lookat it I'll remember what a great time I had luring the beast withinrange of your guns."
"What would have been your plan of campaign, Lub, in case we had nothappened to be within hailing distance?" asked Phil, looking quiteinnocent as he said it.
Lub gave him rather a suspicious glance, and then replied loftily:
"Oh! I don't know. To be frank I hadn't reached that point. Mebbe Imight have used my knife, and cut the fish line, so he could grab themuscalonge. Then while he was devouring that I might have found a chanceto sneak up behind and finish the rascal with one sure blow from mytrusty hunting knife. Course I don't actually say I _would_ have donethat; but it might have occurred to me, you know."
When Phil allowed his memory to go back and recall the look of terror hehad seen on Lub's white face he decided in his own mind that there wasabout as much chance of such a wonderful feat being carried out as therewas of Lub developing wings and flying.
"You're getting as many fish as we can well use, I reckon, Lub?" heremarked, to change the subject.
"Sure thing, Phil; and after I pull in three more I think I'll call itoff for to-day. I've covered a good many miles, running from one hole toanother, and back again over the whole line. I didn't come up here toreduce myself to a shadow, you know. Over-work is a bad thing for agrowing boy, they say."
"There's only one thing I'll always be sorry for, Lub."
"You mean about this bear adventure, don't you?" asked the other,suspiciously.
"Yes. I should have kept my wits about me and have done it, too."
"What was that, Phil?"
"Snatched up my camera and managed to snap off a picture of how youlured your bear into the trap. Some of our boy friends down Brewster-waywould like to see it. They may be inclined to doubt more or less whenthey hear the story; but that would be proof they'd have to accept asgenuine, Lub."
The fat boy seemed to consider it for a brief time.
When he turned to meet Phil's gaze again there was a whimsicalexpression on his face that spoke volumes.
"Well, on the whole, Phil," he went on to say, "I guess I'm just as gladyou did forget to grab up your camera that time. You see, in telling astory a fellow might accidentally embellish just a little more eachtime; and a picture is a terrible accusation, for it keeps you pinneddown close to facts. There, I've got a bite on two lines. Whoof, holdon!"