rs were
obedient and submissive, and were gradually learning to understand his
language. He had more money than he would ever need and was lord of all
he surveyed.

But gradually there came a change. He grew tired of seeing only the
black faces and shining eyes of his subjects and of hearing only the
singing of bees and birds. At first he did not realize what was the
matter. Then it came to him at last that this life of the forest was
palling upon him and that, like the cub, he yearned for his own
kind--the faces of men.

One morning he divided up the money into two equal parts and slipped out
to where Horatio was sunning himself and playing softly before the
cabin.

"Horatio," he said, tenderly, "I have divided up the money. Here is your
half. You have been the best friend I ever had and it breaks my heart to
leave you, but I can't live away from my own race any longer. I am going
back to Louisiana, to the planter who told me to come back and he would
send me to school and college and make a man of me," and then the little
boy suddenly broke down and fell weeping into his companion's arms.

For some moments Horatio could not speak. Then he spoke, sobbing between
every word.

"Bo--Bo--you--you're--not--not going to--to leave me! Oh, Bo!" and the
poor Bear gave way completely and wept on the little boy's shoulder.
They were all alone, as the others had gone out together for a walk. At
last Horatio put the boy gently from him and took up his violin. He
began to play very softly and sang in a breaking voice:--

"Oh, he's going away to leave me to the Lou'siana shore,
And I'll never see my darling, my Bosephus, any more;
He's divided up the money, and he's going far away,
And my poor old heart is breaking but he--will--not--stay.
We have battled with the weather--we have faced the world together--
Never caring why or whether--never minding when or where--
But he says we now must sever--happy days are done forever,
For Bosephus and the fiddle and the Old--Black--Bear!"

[Illustration: FELL WEEPING INTO HIS COMPANION'S ARMS.]

An hour later Bo was wending his way southward through the sweet spring
woods alone. In his inner breast pocket was stored every dollar the
friends had earned together.

"I will never need it now, Bo," Horatio had said at parting, "and you
will need a great many times as much. Take it and sometimes think of
your far off faithful Ratio." And then, after one lon