s of one pigeon. Do you hear
me, my mother dear? Now, do not let him see you do it,
for his sense is as that of the Evil One himself, and he
would not eat that pigeon."

"Oh, my poor wronged one, and to think that that--"

"Hush hush, my mother! Can you not do as I have told you?
Pick up the plate quietly. _Bien_, that is right! Now,
do not look at him, but fill the pigeon up. So ... that
is so, mother dear. O, Antoine, you sweet, infernal b'ar,
but I will make you wish as how the whole Saskatchewan
were running down your crater of a throat in two, three
minutes more. But there will be no Saskatchewan--_non_,
not one leetle drop of water to cool your thieving tongue!"

And despite the lively state of affairs he predicted for
his four-footed friend, he never once looked at it, but
kept tinkering at the harness as if nothing particular
were exciting him.

The good old lady was filled with concern for Antoine,
for whom, as sharing the companionship of her well-beloved,
she had quite a friendly regard. Still, had not the
traitorous animal robbed her darling--her Pepin--of his
supper? It was a hard, a very hard thing to do, but he
must be taught a lesson. With many misgivings she stuffed
the cavernous fowl with the fiery condiments.

"Now, mother dear, just wipe it clean so that the fire
and brimstone does not show on the outside, and pour over
it some gravy. That is right, _ma mere_. I will reward
you--later. Now, just place it on the bench and take away
the other plate. Do not let the cunning malefactor think
you notice him at all. He will think it is the second
course. _Bien!_"

He turned his head sharply and looked at the bear with
one of his quick, bird-like movements, just at the same
moment as the bear looked at him. But there was nothing
on the artless Antoine's face but mild, sentimental
inquiry.

"Ha! he is cunning!" muttered Pepin. "Do you remember,
my mother, how--_Mon Dieu!_ he's got it!"

That was very apparent. Antoine had nipped up the fowl,
and with one or two silent crunches was in the act of
swallowing it. So pressed was he for time that at first
he did not detect the fiery horrors he was swallowing.
But in a minute or two he realised that something unlooked
for had occurred, that there was a young volcano in his
mouth that had to be quenched at any cost So he sprang
to his feet and rushed at a bucket of water that stood
in a corner of the room, and went so hastily that he
knocked the buc