ets before he could eat them. Here in
the deep woods the bear also discovered several roots which were to his
liking, so he was always nosing about in the dead leaves, for if he
didn't find nuts, he would find roots.

Thus passed the cubhood of Black Bruin, and, from a fuzzy mite, whining
for his saucer of milk, he grew into a sturdy cub, strong and
self-reliant, able to forage and hunt for himself.

Without training from any parent, he learned some of the things that it
was necessary for him to know in the fields and forest. Thus the
instinct of his bear ancestors asserted its power in the pampered and
spoiled pet of the farmhouse, and if he had chosen, he could probably
have taken care of himself as a real wild bear. But he did not care to
do so, although he had every chance to run away; there was something
always calling to him at the farmhouse.

The people there had been good to him. In the wood-shed was his nest,
and no matter how far away he roamed during the daytime, night always
found him back at the house, begging for milk, and taking caresses at
the farmer's hands.

These good people had been so large a part of his helpless days that he
could not leave them now, although the deep green depths of the woods
were probably calling to him, as this was his natural home.

CHAPTER V

A ROLLICKING ROGUE

About Thanksgiving time Black Bruin suddenly disappeared, and although
the premises were searched, no trace of him could be found.

Finally, after two or three days, his master gave up the hunt,
concluding that the bear had obeyed the wild instinct in his nature and
returned to the woods. He had no doubt that he was snugly curled up in
some hollow tree where he would sleep away the winter months. Whether
he would ever return to them or not, was a matter of conjecture.

All the family mourned his loss, especially the baby, who cried half a
day for "Bar-Bar," as he called the bear.

One cold December evening when the farmer was bedding down the horse,
he imagined he heard a deep, steady breathing under the barn floor, and
after listening for some time, was sure of it. His first thought was
that some neighbor's dog had gone under the barn to sleep, so he went
and lifted up a trap-door that led to the cellar, which was not deep.

He whistled for the dog to come out, but no dog appeared. He could
still hear the breathing and was much mystified by it, so he got a
lantern and went under the barn to