, as she began, called out, in a tone of command, 'Children,
the multiplication table!'

At once the whole school began to repeat the table in chorus. The woman
stormed and raged, while the scholars only shouted the harder, and the
master quietly laughed to himself. Speechless with anger and surprise,
the woman at last went away, and the teacher was left master of the
field of battle.

H. B. S.

ROUND THE CAMP-FIRE.

I.--A SCRAMBLE WITH A BEAR.

(_Concluded from page 20._)

The hunting lodge proved a delightfully comfortable place, and old
Michael was a splendid game-keeper. He seemed disappointed that my
cousin had not come, for apparently he regarded Jack with great
confidence. To me, however, he was very courteous and polite, and I
think he did his best to hide his disappointment.

The bear was a big one, he said; he damaged as much corn as he ate, and
since his inside was 'as large as a barn' (so Michael said), the
unfortunate peasants were in great trouble with regard to their crops.

By this time I had learned enough Russian to keep up a simple
conversation, in which of course grammar had no part whatever; I could
make myself understood if my companion happened to be a person of sense,
and this old Michael was. To my inquiry as to how the bear and I were to
become acquainted, he replied that he had made all arrangements.

'There is flesh placed in an open space in the forest which he crosses
sometimes,' Michael said; 'his tracks pass over it several times. When
it is dusk I shall guide you to the place, and you shall climb a tree
and pass the night in it; at early dawn he will come and eat, and then
you will shoot.'

I liked the plan; it was something quite new--rather a chilly
experience, perhaps, but one must put up with a little inconvenience in
the pursuit of bears 'with insides like barns'! I would dress warmly.

I remembered Jack's request that I would be kind to his three lovely red
setters, Duke, Monarch, and York, and during the rest of the day they
were with me, noon, afternoon, and evening. They vied for my special
favour; they could not make enough of me. 'It is so delightful to see an
English face again,' they told me as plainly as if they could speak 'and
we do like you so!' They ate most of my lunch; they walked out in the
afternoon with me; they fought one another for my attention; they shared
my dinner. We spent a short evening together; I grew dearer to them
every moment, an