All nature understood that swing.
Man had learned to understand it.

"Look out when a grizzly rolls his head!" is the first commandment of the bear-hunter in the mountains.
The big black understood, and like other bears in Thor's domain, he should have slunk a little backward, turned about and made his exit.

Thor gave him ample time.

But the black was a new bear in the valley--and he was not only that: he was a powerful bear, and unwhipped; and he had overlorded a range of his own.

He stood his ground.
The first growl of menace that passed between the two came from the black.
Again Thor advanced, slowly and deliberately--straight for the robber.
Muskwa followed halfway and then stopped and squatted himself on his belly.
Ten feet from the carcass Thor paused again; and now his huge head swung more swiftly back and forth, and a low rumbling thunder came from between his half-open jaws.