It was delightfully infectious; he was laughing
more with her than at Baree. In the same breath his merriment was cut
short by an unexpected and most amazing discovery. Tara, after all, had
his usefulness. His mistress had vaulted astride of him, and was nudging
him with her heels, leaning forward so that with one hand she was
pulling at his left ear. The bear turned slowly, his finger-long claws
clicking on the stones, and when his head was in the right direction
Marge released his ear and spoke sharply, beating a tattoo with her
heels at the same time.
"_Neah_, Tara, _Neah_!" she cried.
After a moment's hesitation, in which the grizzly seemed to be getting
his bearings, Tara struck out straight for the break between the
mountains, with his burden. The girl turned and waved a beckoning hand
at David.
"_Pao_! you must hurry!" she called to him, laughing at the astonishment
in his face.
He had started to fill his pipe, but for the next few minutes he forgot
that the pipe was in his hand. His eyes did not leave the huge beast,
ambling along a dozen paces ahead of him, or the slip of a girl who rode
him. He had caught a glimpse of Baree, and the dog's eyes seemed to be
bulging. He half believed that his own mouth was open when the girl
called to him.
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