Horatio sprang to his feet
instantly.

"That's Cub," he said, excitedly.

The boy ran to the door and opened it. Sure enough, the little cub stood
before him, and out of the darkness behind gleamed seven other pairs of
eyes. The boy was brave, but as he saw that row of fiery orbs he felt
his flesh creep and his hair began to prickle.

"Horatio!" he called, softly, "come quick."

[Illustration: THE POOR BEAR GAVE WAY COMPLETELY.]

The Bear was already by his side, and a moment later with the cub
stepped out into the night. Then Bosephus heard low growls followed by a
strange commotion, which he at first took to be the sound of fighting.
Suddenly Horatio ran to him in great excitement.

"Bo, Bo!" he exclaimed, "it's my family! and, oh, Bosephus, it's Cub's
family, too! We're really brothers, and we didn't know it!" Then he ran
back into the dark and presently returned with the cub and the seven
other bears, following. The newcomers stared and blinked at the little
boy as they entered the lighted cabin and then withdrew to a darker
corner, where they sat silently regarding everything that passed, like
strangers from the country. The cub sat with them and whispered softly,
in the bear tongue, and Horatio now and then went over, too, and no
doubt told them marvellous tales of his strange adventures. Late that
night all lay down to sleep--the little boy in the arms of his faithful
friend.

And so the Bear Colony had begun, even sooner than Bo and Ratio had
expected, and they had given up all notion of travelling any further.
The lumber camp was deserted for good by the woodcutters, for the
largest trees had been cut out and taken away long before. The cabin was
headquarters--Bosephus was president, Horatio prime minister, and the
cub, because of his adventures and slight educational advancement, was
chief assistant. Early spring was upon the land, and the woods were
beginning to be sweet with song and blossom. Bosephus was almost afraid
at first that, with the native woods and the renewal of home ties,
Horatio might return more or less to his savage instincts, but he became
gentler and more docile than ever. His place as prime minister and chief
instructor made him realize his advancement and the importance of good
behavior. He was grave and dignified, and about the fire in the evening,
played the violin with an air of skill and superiority that was very
impressive. Bosephus at first enjoyed it all immensely. The bea