reached the
place where the drummer had taken his stand, Herr Schwein (so was he
called) gave orders for a flourish of music by way of opening the
performance. But how describe the effect which the sound produced on our
bear? At the first stroke of the stick on the drum, he leaped from the
ground as if he had been shot; then giving utterance to a prolonged
howl, he began dancing about in a way which would have been irresistibly
funny, if the audience had not been too frightened to stop and witness
it. As it happened, a general panic seized the multitude, and off went
good part of the population of Caneville, howling, screaming, and
yelping to their various homes, where they, of course, each gave a
different version of the story. The learned pig alone, and his faithful
Tom, who would not run away for any body, were the only creatures who
stood their ground; the former, because he had travelled much and was
acquainted with the peculiarities of bears; and the latter, partly for
the reason just given, and in part because he was so fixed to the drum
that to go away without it was impossible; and to go away with it,
without previous packing, would have been equally difficult, so he stood
his ground and watched the proceedings.

On the ceasing of the music and dispersing of the crowd our hero also
stood still, as much surprised as any of the former spectators at the
effect he had produced; and then feeling still more sensibly the effects
of his fatigues, he sat down panting and exhausted. The pig, who had
been quietly watching him, and had evidently been revolving some
interesting thoughts in his contemplative brain, shortly after rose, and
gathering up the things which were to have figured in his evening's
performance, and assisting to pack the drum comfortably on Tom's back,
beckoned to the bear, and waddled gently off in an opposite direction of
the city to that where Bruin had entered. Our interesting brute
hesitated a moment; but being nudged by Tom, who uttered at the same
time a word or two of encouragement, which, to render intelligible, may
be translated by "Come along, stupid!" he mechanically followed this
fast young dog, and they all reached the pig's habitation just as
evening was falling.

After the bear had been regaled with a most hearty supper--for pigs, it
may be remarked by the way, are famous caterers--his learned host
unfolded to him his plans. He explained the nature of his own
avocations; how that he