The shooting paused. The men were reloading.

And then came the only sound that could make things worse. A loud, heavy growl. Not an ordinary growl. A growl that meant it. And then a roar.

A huge grizzly bear lumbered into the cave. Its hunched shoulders were tense with fury. The ruff around its neck puffed out. When it stood up on its hind legs, it was taller than Mr. Smeets.

Choi Hung dove for the bear’s head.

“No!” Bo-Bo barked. “Leave her alone!”

She knew this bear.

Resilience swept the guns out of the men’s hands with one big paw. The men backed away until they hit the cave wall.

“Hello, dog,” Resilience said.

“Umm… hello,” Bo-Bo answered.

Sheng watched stock-still and wide-eyed. Choi Hung fluttered right above the bear’s head.

A littler growl sounded from behind the grizzly. A small, fluffy bear face peeked out.

A moment later something furry barreled into Bo-Bo.

“You’re the dog who opens cages, aren’t you?” the little bear said to Bo-Bo. “Thank you so much!”

“Errr… you’re welcome,” Bo-Bo said.

The little bear nuzzled Sheng. Very carefully, Sheng patted its head.

“You stay here, Hornet,” the mama bear said to the cub. “Can you make sure he does, dog?”

“Uh… I’ll try,” woofed Bo-Bo.

“Much obliged,” Resilience said.

Then she dropped down onto all fours and loped toward the rest of the men.

“Aiee!” cried one of the men. Bo-Bo recognized the one who had been selling tickets to the bear fight in town. He dropped his rifle and ran.

The others opened fire. Bullets tore into one of the beams holding up the cave entrance. It shivered.

Resilience easily dodged the shots. Bo-Bo couldn’t believe how fast such a big animal could move.

Resilience stood on her hind legs again and roared. The men facing her froze in terror.

But not Mr. Smeets. He was behind the bear. She didn’t see him. He cocked his rifle.

“Look out!” barked Bo-Bo. She’d promised to watch Hornet, but she couldn’t let his mother be killed. She ran at Mr. Smeets’s legs as fast and hard as she could. She slammed into him. He fell.

He roared in anger just like Resilience. But he still had his gun. From the ground, he raised the rifle and pointed it at Bo-Bo. Sheng shouted, “You leave my dog alone!”

Choi Hung shrieked. Bo-Bo could only watch the gun.

Something above her chittered. A thin, sinewy shape with a long striped tail leaped down from the high ledge. It landed on Mr. Smeets’s head. Its claws dug into his neck.

“YOWOWOWOWCH!” Mr. Smeets howled. He jumped to his feet. But the ringtail clung to his head. She swiped at his eyes. Mr. Smeets dropped his rifle and tried to pull the creature off.

“What are you doing here?” Bo-Bo barked.

“I told you I always pay my debts,” the ringtail called to her. “I kept an eye on you, dog.”

Mr. Smeets ran from the cave, the ringtail still on his head. His men followed.

Resilience and her cub were snuffling around the ground. Sheng moved toward the gold-streaked rocks.

Bo-Bo heard a groaning sound. She looked up. One of the beams that held up the cave entrance creaked and swayed. It was the one the bullets had hit. It was breaking. Dust and dirt and rock rained down on them.

“The cave is collapsing!” Sheng screamed.