grand time, howling at the tops
of their voices and enjoying their operatic echoes. I couldn’t hear what Pete
was doing above the yowling and decided that I should climb up a tree. If he
was still on the deer trail I should be able to see him.
I hadn’t gotten five feet off the ground when I heard the
screaming.
“Beeeaaaaar!”
I dropped to the ground, grabbed my shotgun, whistled for
the wolves, and started running toward the surveyor, praying he was wrong about
seeing a bear but having the horrible feeling that he might not be. There had
been too much terror in his voice.
The surveyor was lucky. The bear was a young female, more
interested in her patch of berries than in chasing a smelly old human.
I had to order the dogs not to rush her because they were
snarling and ready to try and take her down. Though small as compared to a male,
two wolves couldn’t bring her down. I had a gun and would use it if I had to—but
only if I had to.
After a moment of annoyance, the bear finally decided that
she had had enough of the racket and began ambling off in the direction of
Wendell’s house.
I was relieved, though did not let my guard down. If one
bear had come to town for the late berries there could be others.
The dogs were disappointed that I wouldn’t let them chase
her and kept whining, but no harm, no foul , as they say in sporting
circles. I wasn’t going to kill the animal just because she had a sweet tooth.
It took a stern voice, but eventually Max and Sisu decided
to obey and followed me back to town. I was lavish with my praise. They had
done all that I asked and deserved a treat. I had some dried venison.
* *
*
“What is that racket?” the Flowers demanded of Big John,
putting down her paintbrush. They were applying varnish to one of the tables
that had been damaged in the fire last spring.
“It sounds like Max and Sisu,” he answered after a moment.
“They must be at Butterscotch’s cabin. I should go fetch
Ricky. I know he loves being with the Mountie, but Chuck is probably busy with
the new recruit.”
“You go ahead. I can finish here.”
* *
*
“Where’s Ricky?” the Flowers demanded as I emerged from the
woods behind the panicked surveyor whose chipmunk cheeks were bright red with
exertion and whip marks from low tree limbs. He had run out of breath from
screaming and running and was bent over wheezing. I hoped he didn’t have a weak
heart.
“Ricky?” I said blankly.
“He’s not with you? But there’s Sisu and…. Then the bear
really is….” The Flowers went from a shade of buttermilk to the green you find
growing on old cheese. I jumped forward as she collapsed, glad that there was
something inside the dress that folded in half as it fell to the ground because
for a moment it had looked empty.
“Pete!” I said sharply to the shaken and gasping surveyor.
“Go to the inn. Tell Big John that Ricky is missing and we need the search
parties. Go on! Run!”
The wheezing surveyor obeyed as best he could. I slapped
gently at Judy’s cheeks wishing I had some water or smelling salts. I was
giving her one minute to revive and then I was taking the dogs back into the
forest whether she was awake or not. Her eyes finally fluttered open and she
moaned. I rolled her onto her side so she could be sick.
“Your father is bringing help,” I said as I held back her
hair. “I am taking Max and Sisu into the woods right now. Ricky is probably
looking for Sisu and following her tracks to Potter’s Ridge. That isn’t where the bear was. I saw it. It ran the opposite way, heading toward Wendell’s.
You tell everyone that when they get here. The bear is going toward Wendell’s cabin.
Now you pull yourself together, woman. Ricky is fine.”
Doc and Linda hurried out of their house.
“Doc, look after the Flowers. Linda, get a rifle and come
with me. Ricky’s in the woods.”
“I thought someone was screaming about a bear,” Doc said. He
was carrying his
of their voices and enjoying their operatic echoes. I couldn’t hear what Pete
was doing above the yowling and decided that I should climb up a tree. If he
was still on the deer trail I should be able to see him.
I hadn’t gotten five feet off the ground when I heard the
screaming.
“Beeeaaaaar!”
I dropped to the ground, grabbed my shotgun, whistled for
the wolves, and started running toward the surveyor, praying he was wrong about
seeing a bear but having the horrible feeling that he might not be. There had
been too much terror in his voice.
The surveyor was lucky. The bear was a young female, more
interested in her patch of berries than in chasing a smelly old human.
I had to order the dogs not to rush her because they were
snarling and ready to try and take her down. Though small as compared to a male,
two wolves couldn’t bring her down. I had a gun and would use it if I had to—but
only if I had to.
After a moment of annoyance, the bear finally decided that
she had had enough of the racket and began ambling off in the direction of
Wendell’s house.
I was relieved, though did not let my guard down. If one
bear had come to town for the late berries there could be others.
The dogs were disappointed that I wouldn’t let them chase
her and kept whining, but no harm, no foul , as they say in sporting
circles. I wasn’t going to kill the animal just because she had a sweet tooth.
It took a stern voice, but eventually Max and Sisu decided
to obey and followed me back to town. I was lavish with my praise. They had
done all that I asked and deserved a treat. I had some dried venison.
* *
*
“What is that racket?” the Flowers demanded of Big John,
putting down her paintbrush. They were applying varnish to one of the tables
that had been damaged in the fire last spring.
“It sounds like Max and Sisu,” he answered after a moment.
“They must be at Butterscotch’s cabin. I should go fetch
Ricky. I know he loves being with the Mountie, but Chuck is probably busy with
the new recruit.”
“You go ahead. I can finish here.”
* *
*
“Where’s Ricky?” the Flowers demanded as I emerged from the
woods behind the panicked surveyor whose chipmunk cheeks were bright red with
exertion and whip marks from low tree limbs. He had run out of breath from
screaming and running and was bent over wheezing. I hoped he didn’t have a weak
heart.
“Ricky?” I said blankly.
“He’s not with you? But there’s Sisu and…. Then the bear
really is….” The Flowers went from a shade of buttermilk to the green you find
growing on old cheese. I jumped forward as she collapsed, glad that there was
something inside the dress that folded in half as it fell to the ground because
for a moment it had looked empty.
“Pete!” I said sharply to the shaken and gasping surveyor.
“Go to the inn. Tell Big John that Ricky is missing and we need the search
parties. Go on! Run!”
The wheezing surveyor obeyed as best he could. I slapped
gently at Judy’s cheeks wishing I had some water or smelling salts. I was
giving her one minute to revive and then I was taking the dogs back into the
forest whether she was awake or not. Her eyes finally fluttered open and she
moaned. I rolled her onto her side so she could be sick.
“Your father is bringing help,” I said as I held back her
hair. “I am taking Max and Sisu into the woods right now. Ricky is probably
looking for Sisu and following her tracks to Potter’s Ridge. That isn’t where the bear was. I saw it. It ran the opposite way, heading toward Wendell’s.
You tell everyone that when they get here. The bear is going toward Wendell’s cabin.
Now you pull yourself together, woman. Ricky is fine.”
Doc and Linda hurried out of their house.
“Doc, look after the Flowers. Linda, get a rifle and come
with me. Ricky’s in the woods.”
“I thought someone was screaming about a bear,” Doc said. He
was carrying his
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