Sunset Ranch: A Story of a Boy's Adventures in the West — page 247: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

CHAPTER XVIII. THE STAMPEDE. The savage growls ceased when the fat pine splinters burst into a blaze. It was as though the sudden illumination had somewhat startled old Ephraim. Karl did not dare take his attention away from the new-born fire until his deft fingers had ar- ranged a supply of small sticks which would be apt to keep the blaze going. Although this only consumed some seconds of time, it seemed ages to the boy, wild to turn his at- tention toward that spot from whence had come those blood-curdling growls. When he did look finally, the sight was quite suf- ficient to fill him with awe. Such a grizzly monster he had never set eyes on before; indeed, it seemed impossible that he could have entered by the same channel they had em- ployed, so great was his bulk. This ungainly beast was only momentarily awed by the fire. Then his ferocious temper once more asserted its dominion over his fears. In the presence of man he recognized his dead- liest foe. Growls again awoke the echoes of the queer hole in the wall, and the monster’s front was fierce be- yond expression. Meanwhile Karl had been saying nothing and sawing wood. With him every second counted, and a false move might prove destructive, so he fed the fat pine splinters to the little fire until it was robust enough to seize upon heavier material and consume it. Comicloooks C©