eakfast,
Herr Kreutzen answered vaguely that they would very soon reach their
destination, and should have as much breakfast as they could possibly
care for.

"My friends are kind worthy people, and you'll find every sort of
luxury," he said, smiling benignly.

"We seem to be coming near a town," whispered Knut to Otto. "I don't
quite like this!" and he tried to pull his paw away from the good
"Secretary of the Society for promoting the welfare of Farmers."

"Come along, my dear child. We are almost there," cried the Fox. "I am
just going to tie you both up to this tree for a minute--merely to be
sure you are quite safe and happy in my absence--and I shall return
with my kind friend, in no time!"

Herr Kreutzen took some string from his pocket as he spoke, and the
two little Bears--who saw there was no use in struggling--submitted to
be fastened together to a fir tree.

As soon as the Fox had disappeared, Otto burst into a loud roar of
terror.

"Oh, he's going to do something dreadful, I know he is! We shall
never, _never_ get away again!"

"It's no good making that noise," said Knut, angrily. "Leave off,
Otto, and let me think."

"You may think for ever," wailed Otto, "and unless you've got a pocket
knife you won't get these knots undone!" and he began to cry again
with renewed vigour.

"Why, whatever is the matter?" said a friendly voice close by.

The little Bears looked round eagerly, and saw that an elderly Badger
was approaching. He was evidently a woodcutter, for he had a large axe
in his hand, and the three young Badgers who followed him were
carrying neatly-tied bundles of sticks.

Knut stretched out his paw beseechingly.

"_Please_ cut the string! Oh, _please_, Herr Badger, make haste, and
let us get free. Herr Kreutzen will be back in a minute, and then
there'll be _no_ hope for us!"

"So this is some of _his_ work!" said the Badger angrily. "I declare
that creature is a plague to the whole forest!"

With two blows of his axe he cut the strings that bound the little
Bears; and ordering them to follow him to a place of safety, he darted
through the bushes with his children, and never stopped until they
came out into a secluded valley, at the end of which, in a small
clearing, stood a hut built of pine logs.

Before the door sat the Badger-mother with some plain sewing, while
five of the young Badger-children played about on the grass in front
of her.

"You're home early to-day, father,"