Fright
seemed to lend him wonderful strength and agility; he succeeded in
reaching the lowest limb as the animal, with glittering eyes and widely
distended jaws, reached the tree.
Up, up, crept Halloran, his teeth chattering, his strength almost
leaving him as the animal's roar of baffled rage fell upon his ear.
To and fro bent the sapling under his weight, threatening to snap
asunder each moment and cast him into the jaws of the enraged beast.
The hours that followed were of such keen, mortal terror that he vaguely
wondered that he did not lose his reason through fright.
With fascinated eyes he watched the antics of the thoroughly enraged
animal. The bear made many efforts to climb the tree in pursuit of his
prey, but the swaying sapling was too slender to give him a hold, and
its bark too slippery with its coating of ice to insert the claws, which
had been clipped quite close, rendering them almost powerless in taking
a firm grasp.
The night had closed in intensely cold, and Halloran could feel his
cramped limbs and hands slowly stiffening, but he dared not lose his
grip.
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