But he neither intended to run away himself nor to allow the bear to do so; he intended to kill it, so he raised his rifle quickly, "drew a bead," as the hunters express it, on the bear's heart, and fired.
It immediately dropped on its fore legs and rushed at him.

"Back, Crusoe! out of the way, pup!" shouted Dick, as his favourite was about to spring forward.
The dog retired, and Dick leaped behind a tree.

As the bear passed he gave it the contents of the second barrel behind the shoulder, which brought it down; but in another moment it rose and again rushed at him.

Dick had no time to load, neither had he time to spring up the thick tree beside which he stood, and the rocky nature of the ground out of which it grew rendered it impossible to dodge round it.

His only resource was flight; but where was he to fly to?
If he ran along the open track, the bear would overtake him in a few seconds.