Part 9 (2/2)

”There, that will teach you to run away,” growled the boy, cinching the rope and dragging the unruly pony back to camp.

In the meantime the others, after considerable effort, had succeeded in securing the other plunging bronchos, more rope having been brought for the purpose, while Tad, breathing hard, staked down the frightened animal he had roped.

”Now we'll see how Mr. Bear is getting along,” announced the Professor, as they turned back toward the camp, where the bear was still fighting desperately with the smouldering tent.

As they reached the scene they observed Professor Zepplin hurrying to his tent. He was back again almost at once.

”Just happened to think of my revolver,” he explained.

”Think you can kill him with that?” asked Tad.

”I don't know. I can try. It's a thirty-eight calibre.”

”Won't even feel it,” sniffed Ned. ”I've read lots of times that it takes a lot to kill a bear.”

The Professor raised his weapon and fired at the spot where the tent appeared to be most active.

Though he had pulled the trigger only once a series of sudden explosions followed, seemingly coming from beneath the tent itself.

”What's that!” demanded the Professor, lowering his own weapon, plainly puzzled.

”Guess the bear's shooting at us,” suggested Chunky wisely.

”No. I know what it is,” cried Tad.

”You know?” demanded Ned.

”Sure. It's our cartridges exploding. The fire from the lantern has got at those pasteboard boxes in which we carried the sh.e.l.ls.”

Now they were popping with great rapidity, and instinctively the boys drew further away from the danger zone, though the Professor told them the bullets could not hurt them, there being not sufficient force behind to carry them that distance.

The Professor stood his ground as an object lesson and again resumed his target practice. The tough canvas resisted the bear's efforts, and the fire was burning slowly. However, the tent seemed to be ruined and the boys feared their rifles would share a similar fate.

”He's breaking out!” yelled Chunky, who was some distance to the right of the others, now dancing up and down in his excitement. ”Look out for him!”

With a last desperate effort, the animal had succeeded in forcing his way through the stubborn canvas.

”Look, look!” yelled Walter Perkins, greatly excited.

The spectacle was one that for the moment held the boys spellbound. A ma.s.s of flame separated itself from the ruins of the tent. With snarls of pain and rage the ma.s.s ambled rapidly away in a trail of fire.

”The bear's on fire!” shouted Ned Rector.

”Help!” screamed Chunky.

Blinded by the pain and the flames that had gotten into its eyes, the animal not seeing the lad, lurched heavily against him and Stacy Brown went down with a howl of terror.

The boy, who had not been harmed, was up like a flash, running from the fearful thing as fast as his short legs would carry him.

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