登陆注册
5264700000010

第10章 Chapter 2(7)

Our fire was just within the cave, the smoke rising through the apertures between the rocks that I had piled in such a way that they arched inward toward the cliff at the top. The opening by means of which we were to reach the outside was barricaded with a few large fragments which did not by any means close it entirely; but through the apertures thus left no large animal could gain ingress. I had depended most, however, upon our fire, feeling that none of the dangerous nocturnal beasts of prey would venture close to the flames. In this, however, I was quite evidently in error, for the great bear stood with his nose not a foot from the blaze, which was now low, owing to the fact that I had been so occupied with my lesson and my teacher that I had neglected to replenish it.

Ajor whipped out her futile little knife and pointed to my rifle.

At the same time she spoke in a quite level voice entirely devoid of nervousness or any evidence of fear or panic. I knew she was exhorting me to fire upon the beast; but this I did not wish to do other than as a last resort, for I was quite sure that even my heavy bullets would not more than further enrage him--in which case he might easily force an entrance to our cave.

Instead of firing, I piled some more wood upon the fire, and as the smoke and blaze arose in the beast's face, it backed away, growling most frightfully; but I still could see two ugly points of light blazing in the outer darkness and hear its growls rumbling terrifically without. For some time the creature stood there watching the entrance to our frail sanctuary while I racked my brains in futile endeavor to plan some method of defense or escape. I knew full well that should the bear make a determined effort to get at us, the rocks I had piled as a barrier would come tumbling down about his giant shoulders like a house of cards, and that he would walk directly in upon us.

Ajor, having less knowledge of the effectiveness of firearms than I, and therefore greater confidence in them, entreated me to shoot the beast; but I knew that the chance that I could stop it with a single shot was most remote, while that I should but infuriate it was real and present; and so I waited for what seemed an eternity, watching those devilish points of fire glaring balefully at us, and listening to the ever-increasing volume of those seismic growls which seemed to rumble upward from the bowels of the earth, shaking the very cliffs beneath which we cowered, until at last I saw that the brute was again approaching the aperture. It availed me nothing that I piled the blaze high with firewood, until Ajor and I were near to roasting; on came that mighty engine of destruction until once again the hideous face yawned its fanged yawn directly within the barrier's opening. It stood thus a moment, and then the head was withdrawn. I breathed a sigh of relief, the thing had altered its intention and was going on in search of other and more easily procurable prey; the fire had been too much for it.

But my joy was short-lived, and my heart sank once again as a moment later I saw a mighty paw insinuated into the opening--a paw as large around as a large dishpan. Very gently the paw toyed with the great rock that partly closed the entrance, pushed and pulled upon it and then very deliberately drew it outward and to one side. Again came the head, and this time much farther into the cavern; but still the great shoulders would not pass through the opening. Ajor moved closer to me until her shoulder touched my side, and I thought I felt a slight tremor run through her body, but otherwise she gave no indication of fear. Involuntarily I threw my left arm about her and drew her to me for an instant. It was an act of reassurance rather than a caress, though I must admit that again and even in the face of death I thrilled at the contact with her; and then I released her and threw my rifle to my shoulder, for at last I had reached the conclusion that nothing more could be gained by waiting. My only hope was to get as many shots into the creature as I could before it was upon me.

Already it had torn away a second rock and was in the very act of forcing its huge bulk through the opening it had now made.

So now I took careful aim between its eyes; my right fingers closed firmly and evenly upon the small of the stock, drawing back my trigger-finger by the muscular action of the hand.

The bullet could not fail to hit its mark! I held my breath lest I swerve the muzzle a hair by my breathing. I was as steady and cool as I ever had been upon a target-range, and I had the full consciousness of a perfect hit in anticipation; I knew that I could not miss. And then, as the bear surged forward toward me, the hammer fell--futilely, upon an imperfect cartridge.

Almost simultaneously I heard from without a perfectly hellish roar; the bear gave voice to a series of growls far transcending in volume and ferocity anything that he had yet essayed and at the same time backed quickly from the cave.

For an instant I couldn't understand what had happened to cause this sudden retreat when his prey was practically within his clutches. The idea that the harmless clicking of the hammer had frightened him was too ridiculous to entertain.

However, we had not long to wait before we could at least guess at the cause of the diversion, for from without came mingled growls and roars and the sound of great bodies thrashing about until the earth shook. The bear had been attacked in the rear by some other mighty beast, and the two were now locked in a titanic struggle for supremacy. With brief respites, during which we could hear the labored breathing of the contestants, the battle continued for the better part of an hour until the sounds of combat grew gradually less and finally ceased entirely.

At Ajor's suggestion, made by signs and a few of the words we knew in common, I moved the fire directly to the entrance to the cave so that a beast would have to pass directly through the flames to reach us, and then we sat and waited for the victor of the battle to come and claim his reward; but though we sat for a long time with our eyes glued to the opening, we saw no sign of any beast.

At last I signed to Ajor to lie down, for I knew that she must have sleep, and I sat on guard until nearly morning, when the girl awoke and insisted that I take some rest; nor would she be denied, but dragged me down as she laughingly menaced me with her knife.

同类推荐
  • New Collected Rhymes

    New Collected Rhymes

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 春雨

    春雨

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 无准师范禅师语录

    无准师范禅师语录

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 明伦汇编人事典命运部

    明伦汇编人事典命运部

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 佛说七知经

    佛说七知经

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
热门推荐
  • 重生之农家商女

    重生之农家商女

    推荐新书《盛世暖爱:邂逅大牌老公》宠文!前世,她是安静淡然的苏未然,待产之日却被表妹推下楼梯,一尸两命,她死了。重生回到十年前,彼时她刚刚十六岁,正在上高一,家住农村,却是村里屈指可数的大学生。大爷大叔大婶大娘竞相嘲笑:女孩子读那么多书干什么?还嫌父母累得不够嚰?哟哟,这不是谁谁家的大学生么?是不是连饭都不会煮了?在这个教育极度落后的村子里,面对这般嘲笑话语,苏未然全部淡然以对,有些人不懂得某些事情,不是因为他们没有机会懂,而是因为他们不配懂!她不仅会煮饭,而且还会煮不同的饭。当然这不是重点,重点是,她抓住了商机,成为了赫赫有名的一代商女!
  • 草木一秋

    草木一秋

    家境贫寒的佟兴发为了摆脱贫困,离开大叶村去了新疆打工,无奈下,娶了当地老户孙木林的智障女儿孙雨雁,逐渐与佟家疏远,结婚二十年间在孙家始终无法互相接纳。最终因病去世,独女云英替他完成了扎根孙家的使命。
  • 重生足球之巅

    重生足球之巅

    完成航母需要什么?独立工业体系、发达经济文明、强大国防实力拯救国足需要什么?一个慷慨富人、一个超级球星、一个时代骄子王艾因世界杯重生,拯救国足成了他必须肩负的使命。在黑暗中,他点亮了微弱的光。Q群:992535100
  • 给孩子美好未来:农村中小学教师工作漫谈(创建和谐校园16本)

    给孩子美好未来:农村中小学教师工作漫谈(创建和谐校园16本)

    随着城乡经济的发展,滋生出一个新的弱势群体,他们被称为“留守儿童”,这些孩子,大部分生活在农村,没有父母在身边悉心照料,没有好的教育学前教育,这是一个值得社会关注的群体,因此,农村中小学工作者的责任更加沉重,农村的教育工作者的任务更加艰巨,建立平等的师生关系使教师获得青春的活力与气息,并且学生也可以吸收民主精神。正因为教师对学生的尊重,由于教师为学生的成长营造了一个舒适的学习环境,学生的健全人格获得了充分的培养,使得他们能够并且敢于坚持真理和维护自己的合法利益。和谐的师生关系,需要师生们共同努力,保持良好的心态,宽容待人,用真心换另一颗真诚的心。
  • 古镜神之眼

    古镜神之眼

    北朝末年到隋朝初期,江湖门派动荡纷争,权臣侄子与罪臣孤女,在江山易主的风云变幻之中,无奈爱相守,恨别离……
  • 中国的笑容

    中国的笑容

    我曾在天安门广场看升旗仪式看五星红旗的威严、庄重我曾在金水桥上望天安门城楼望城楼何处发出巨人之声我是那么深情地仰望国旗啊仰望国旗, 就是仰望共和国的坚定我是这样久久地仰望城楼啊仰望城楼, 就是仰望中国的笑容。
  • 丽白楼诗话

    丽白楼诗话

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 穿越之冷王的冰妃

    穿越之冷王的冰妃

    (【蓬莱岛】作品)内容简介:从穿越到这个家族开始,就注定了她要为自己的“亲人”洗冤。先是为母冲喜,出嫁到雪王府,再到母亲无原无故离去,却前无人去为她报丧。从阻拦她回家省亲,到秘密派人暗杀。这一切都只不过是一个人的野心!对她一见钟情的琴翼,却阴差阳错看着她出嫁。可是在看到她真容时,却狠心离开。不是她不够美,也不是他不喜欢她,而是她的容貌太熟悉。对她不闻不问的雪王,却对她暗生情素。因为一条不成规矩的约定,和自己的亲生弟弟如同熟人陌路。他们虽然都没为她针锋相对,但却是万古愁肠。青梅竹马的杨凌对她生死不离。三个相同容貌的人,一条血脉相连。命运的捉弄让她背负着数条血债,今生她欠人的太多。不为自己也要为别人讨回公道。怎能让他们一手遮天,逍遥法外?一场看似家族纷争,却隐藏着国家的命运。一场复仇计划,一个被命运摆弄的女子无形中成了整个阴谋的旗子。她是怎样反败为胜,扭转乾坤的呢?一场惊心动魄的阴谋,却在江湖掀起万层波浪。(以前的简介:悠岚月,容貌甜美,心却微凉。当找到可以依靠的人时,他们却因种种原因不能长相厮守。一句话,一个阴谋,她成了局中棋子。温柔的琴翼,对她处处的呵护。清秀的杨凌,对她默默的付出。玩世不恭的羽落,对她死心塌地。冰冷无情的雪王,对他舍心难忘。黄严,竹洛绵,刑沫......他,他,他,虽然都是她生命中的过客,但是却在他生命中掀起万层风浪。在经过生离死别之后,身上的淡淡樱香残流,但是她的爱情会属于谁?)
  • 散打(奥林匹克百科知识丛书)

    散打(奥林匹克百科知识丛书)

    散打也叫散手,古时称之为相搏、手搏,技击等。简单而言就是两人徒手面对面地打斗。散打是中国武术一个主要的表现形式,以踢、打、摔、拿四大技法为主要进攻手段。另外,还有防守,步法等技术。散打也是现代体育运动项目之一,双方按照规则,利用踢,打,摔等攻防战术进行徒手搏击,对抗。
  • 缁衣

    缁衣

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。