s
winter's sleep."

And then Nimble exclaimed that Cuffy Bear had yawned as he turned away
to enter the cave. He hadn't even begged pardon, nor covered his mouth
with a paw.

"No doubt he was very, very sleepy," said Mr. Grouse.

XIII

CUFFY BEAR WAKENS

The winter after Nimble lost his spike horns was a mild one. The
snowfall was light. And Nimble was able to roam up and down Pleasant
Valley and about Blue Mountain as he pleased.

It happened that a certain bright day in early spring found him far up
the side of the mountain, near the cave where he had waited for Cuffy
Bear weeks before. And as that whole queer affair came back to his mind
Nimble remembered how he had fed upon the green things under the snow.

That thought made him hungry. So he began to paw away the soft heavy
snow, which wasn't more than a foot deep; and he was enjoying a good
meal when he heard a sudden _woof_ behind him.

Nimble wheeled instantly. And there, at the mouth of the cave, peering
over the tangle which screened it, Cuffy Bear stood upon his hind legs,
rubbing his eyes. Catching sight of Nimble, Cuffy blinked at him.

"Where's Nimble Deer, madam?" Cuffy Bear growled presently.

"I'm right here!" Nimble replied. "But please don't call me 'madam!'"

"You're not Nimble Deer. You're a Doe," Cuffy Bear insisted. "You have
no horns."

"I'm a Deer," Nimble retorted. "I had horns; but I've shed them."

Cuffy Bear _woofed_ a bit more. He seemed to be somewhat ill-tempered.

"You can't fool me," he grunted. "Nimble Deer's horns were firm upon his
head when I left him here and stepped inside this cave. He agreed to
wait for me; and I'm surprised that he broke his promise."

"I am Nimble Deer," Nimble declared again. "You led me to this spot from
the spring. You told me you wanted to take another look at this cave
because you were thinking of making it your winter home."

Cuffy Bear eyed Nimble with astonishment. And he shambled up to Nimble
and sniffed at him.

"It _is_ you!" Cuffy cried at last. "So you _did_ wait for me!"

"No, I didn't," Nimble confessed.

"But here you are!" Cuffy Bear retorted. "You _must_ have been waiting
for me. And if I've kept you a bit longer than I intended to, I'm sorry.
I think I fell asleep in that den and had a short nap."

[Illustration: Nimble Deer Tells Cuffy Bear About His Horns.
_Page 71_]

"A short nap!" Nimble repeated. "You'v