Page:Young Hunters of the Lake.djvu/227

Rh "Don't you think It would be a good plan to get above the bears by taking a roundabout route?" came from Whopper. "I think we can shoot down at them better than we can shoot up. Besides, if we are above them I think we'll be safer. They can jump down on us easily enough, but jumping up is another matter."

"Yes, and if we can't kill them with shots perhaps we can knock 'em over with rocks," said Giant.

As they tolled up the mountainside it grew darker, and they noted that the sun had gone behind a mass of angry-looking clouds. Far off they heard a rumbling that betokened a thunderstorm.

"That storm is certainly coming," said Snap. "It won't be any fun to be caught up here either."

"Perhaps it will pass off to the westward," returned the doctor's son, hopefully. "The clouds seem to be moving In that direction."

They soon gained a point about on a level with the shelf of rocks upon which they had seen the bears, but some distance to the southward. Climbing now became difficult, and they had to help one another up the steep places. Once Whopper took a tumble and would have rolled down a long distance had not Shep caught him just in time.

"You want to be very careful," cautioned Snap.