It was with one of these formidable animals that Valentine suddenly found himself face to face. The rencontre was most disagreeable; still when the first emotion had passed off, the hunters boldly made up their minds.
"It is a combat to death," Valentine said laconically; "you know the grizzly never draws back."
"See what he does first," the hunter continued. "It is evident that this animal has fed, else it would not return to its lair. You know that bears go out but little; if we are lucky enough to deal with a bear that has had a good dinner, it will be an immense advantage for us."
"For the simple reason," Valentine said with a laugh, "that, like all people whose meal hours are irregular, when bears sit down to dinner, they eat with extreme gluttony, which renders them heavy, sleepy, and deprives them, in a word, of one half their faculties."
"Hum!" Don Miguel observed; "I fancy what is left them is quite enough."
"And so do I; but, quiet, I fancy the beast has made up his mind."
"That is to say," Don Pablo remarked, "that it is making its arrangements to attack us."
"That is what I meant to say," Valentine replied.
"Well, we will not let it make the first demonstration."
"Oh, don't be frightened, Don Miguel, I am used to bear hunting; this one certainly does not expect what I am preparing for it."
"Providing you do not miss your shot: in that case we should be lost," Don Miguel observed.
"By Jove! I know that: so I shall take my measures in accordance."
Curumilla, stoical as ever, had cut a piece of candlewood, and concealed himself in the shrubs only a few paces from the wild beast. The bear, after a moment's hesitation, during which it looked round with an eye flashing with gloomy fire, as if counting the number of foes it had to fight, uttered a second growl, as it passed a tongue as red as blood over its lips.
"That is it," Valentine said with a laugh; "lick your chops, my fine fellow; still, I warn you that your mouth is watering too soon--you have not got us yet."
The bear seemed to notice the bravado, for it made an effort, and its monstrous head entirely appeared above the level of the platform.
"Did I not tell you it had eaten too much?" the hunter went on. "See what difficulty it finds in moving. Come, sluggard," he said, addressing the terrible animal, "shake yourself up a little."