Miki seemed to sense this fact.

Under ordinary conditions he would have led in the fray, and before Neewa had fairly got started, would have been at the impudent interloper's throat.

But now something held him back, and it was Neewa who first shot out--like a black bolt--landing squarely in the ribs of his unsuspecting enemy.
(Old Makoki, the Cree runner, had he seen that attack, would instantly have found a name for the other bear--"Petoot-a-wapis-kum," which means, literally: "Kicked-off-his-Feet." Perhaps he would have called him "Pete" for short.

For the Cree believes in fitting names to fact, and Petoot-a-wapis-kum certainly fitted the unknown bear like a glove.) Taken utterly by surprise, with his mouth full of berries, he was bowled over like an overfilled bag under the force of Neewa's charge.
So complete was his discomfiture for the moment that Miki, watching the affair with a yearning interest, could not keep back an excited yap of approbation.

Before Pete could understand what had happened, and while the berries were still oozing from his mouth, Neewa was at his throat--and the fun began.
Now bears, and especially young bears, have a way of fighting that is all their own.