Behind my back, some ten yards off, was the opening of a narrow hole; there were hundreds such in the rocks all about.

'Come, now!' I cried, 'suppose my bear has stowed himself away in this hollow!'-- and there and then, like a mischievous little boy, I poked the barrel of my gun into the hollow and fired off a couple of shots in quick succession.

A frightful roar came from the depths of the cavern.

The wild beast during all this noise, clamour and beating about the bush was actually behind my back holding his tongue,--and a splendid big beast he was, two heads taller than I and with tusks like a wild boar.

In a moment he was upon me, and I had already discharged my two barrels.