t to her father's hand while he told the story. The bear, with his
nose in the kettle of syrup, had not even heard Mr. Carew's approach,
and had been an easy mark.

"You'll find your kitchen in a sad state, Lucy," said Mr. Carew, as he
finished. "I have dragged the bear outside, and he will furnish us
some fine steaks, and a good skin for a rug; but your kettle of syrup
is all over the floor."

"Kettle of syrup?" questioned Mrs. Carew. "Why, there was no kettle of
syrup." Neither of the little girls offered any explanation. Mr. Carew
looked about the clearing to see if any other bear was in the
neighborhood, but it was evident that the creature had come alone.

"'Tis not often they are so bold," said Mr. Carew, as they neared the
cabin, "although last year an old bear and two cubs came down by the
mill, but they were off before I could get a shot at them."

Mrs. Carew looked about her kitchen with a little feeling of dismay.
The kettle had been overturned, and what syrup the bear had not eaten
was smeared over the hearth and floor. The little rocking-chair was
tipped over and broken, and everything was in disorder.

Esther looked into the kitchen, but Mrs. Carew cautioned her not
to enter. "You and Faith go to the front door and go into the
sitting-room," she said. "There is nothing that either of you can do
to help;" so Faith led the way and pushed open the heavy door which
led directly into a big comfortable room. The lower floor of the cabin
was divided into two rooms, the sitting-room and kitchen, and over
these were two comfortable chambers. The stairs led up from the
kitchen.

Faith thought the sitting-room a very fine place. There was a big
fireplace on one side of the room, and the walls were ceiled, or
paneled, with pine boards. On one side of the fireplace was a broad
wooden settle, covered with a number of fur robes, and several big
cushions. Between the two front windows stood a table of dark wood,
and on the table were two tall brass candlesticks. A small narrow
gilt-framed mirror hung over the table.

There were several strongly-made comfortable wooden chairs with
cushions. The floor was of pine, like the ceiled walls, and was now a
golden brown in color. There were several bearskin rugs on the floor,
for Mr. Carew, like all the men of the "Wilderness," was a hunter; and
when not busy in his mill or garden was off in the woods after deer,
or wild partridge, or larger game, as these fine skins prove