A moment later they came in sight of a crude enclosure built against the overhanging wall of the cliff. Tall poles were lashed together around a recess in the wall, making a small circular pen. The next moment they spied Juan working at strengthening a weak place in the wall. It appeared impenetrable, as it was, to them, and they wondered that any animal, even one as large as a bear, could break through such a barricade.

Juan turned from his work as he saw the girls approaching. After the customary salutation he went on in Spanish. “The bear very bad—very ferocious. He like much the pig.”

Jo Ann nodded her head. “Sí, sí—but why can’t we shoot him? I’ll kill him for you.”

Juan shook his head and looked puzzled, and Jo Ann realized he had not understood a word she had said.

She racked her brain for a way to make her meaning clear to him. Finally she picked up a stick and, after pointing to herself, put it to her shoulder and pretended to pull a trigger. “Pling! See! El oso muerto [The bear dead].”

Juan smiled approval; then, jabbering rapidly, he pointed to himself and shook his head.

“No—not you,” Jo Ann tried again, motioning to herself. “Me! See—I’ll shoot him!”

Finally, after several attempts, she succeeded in making him understand.

But Juan shook his head. “The Señora no like,” he said.

“I know,” agreed Jo Ann, “but if you come with Peg and me”—she pointed to each of them—“I think it’ll be all right.”

For a while Peggy enjoyed watching the pantomime, interrupted now and then with a few English and Spanish words. Never before had she seen anyone go to so much trouble to make herself understood. Jo Ann certainly was a determined person.

After a little, however, Peggy became restless and began gathering some of the dainty little ferns growing at the base of the cliff. She wandered over to the bank of the mountain stream and stood for a few moments watching the water as it rushed and tumbled down the rocky gorge. Then her thoughts drifted back to the bear. She wondered if he could be hiding somewhere near, waiting for a chance to steal another pig.

She glanced nervously about, then called over to Jo Ann, “Aren’t you ready to go? They’ll be wondering what’s become of us.”

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