bear that
had strayed into camp.

"All right, if you feel confident, Smithy;" said Thad; "but watch him
close; and if he makes a move as if he wanted to grab you, shin out for
the tree again. We'll all stand by, ready to give a yell, so as to scare
him off."

Bumpus was staring at all this amazing procedure. Slowly the fact had
begun to filter through the rather sluggish brain of the fat boy that
after all fate had not decided to offer him as a tempting bait to whet
the appetite of a bear. He even began to pluck up a little bit of hope
that Smithy might succeed in chaining the ugly old terror to a tree,
and thus saving his, Bumpus' life.

When the delicate boy started to scramble down out of his leafy bower
the others tried to encourage him in various ways.

"Good boy, Smithy!" cooed Step-hen.

"You've certainly got more grit than any fellow in the bunch; and I take
off my hat to you, suh!" cried the Southern boy, making a movement with
his hand as if in salute.

"Try the quarter loaf, Smithy; you'll find it just where Step-hen said,
inside the tent where Bumpus is hanging out," Giraffe called.

"Only half-way out," corrected that party; and then ducked his head as
he saw that his voice had attracted the attention of the bear.

So Smithy dropped to the ground. Thad saw that he was fearfully white
about the face, and was half tempted to recall him; but had an idea
Smithy would refuse to obey, now that he had resolved to prove his
valor, which must have been more or less doubted in the past.

The tall, slim boy started walking toward the tent where Bumpus was
confined, unable to go or come, so tightly had he become wedged under
the canvas.

They saw the bear had become greatly interested. Watching the movements
of the boy in the borrowed pajamas he made some sort of pitiful sound
that was not unlike a groan. Evidently mealtimes had been a long ways
apart lately for Bruin; but he seemed to understand that the boy had
gone to secure him something.

The short forelegs began to beat imaginary time, and the bear started to
again tread that queer measure, turning slowly around and around as he
continued to follow out the line of discipline to which he had been
brought up.

He was really begging for something to stay the pangs of hunger.

Meanwhile Smithy, though doubtless shivering like a leaf, had reached
the open flap of the tent. Passing inside his eyes quickly found the
half loaf of bread wrapped in a newsp