ggested Bumpus.

"But we do owe the old fellow a whole lot of thanks," remarked Bob
White. "And in the morning, suh, I intend to see to it that he gets a
good filling breakfast, even if I have to cut down my own allowance."

At that Giraffe groaned dismally.

"Oh! say, you don't think of going that far, I hope; and for only a
dancing bear; we ought to be able to feed him on the leavings, don't you
think?" he asked.

"He'd soon kick the bucket, then, Giraffe, if he waited for any leavings
from your platter," observed Davy Jones; "because I notice that you lick
it clean every time."

"Listen, do you hear any more shouting?" asked Thad.

Though they strained their ears no one could catch a single sound.

"Guess they've got beyond earshot," remarked Step-hen.

"But you take it straight from me, suh, they're running yet; and I
wouldn't be afraid to say that they'll keep it up until they fairly
drop," Bob White gave as his opinion; and indeed, all of them agreed
with him there.

Then the funny side of the thing seemed to strike them. First one
commenced to laugh, and then, as the others looked at him they too
started, until the merriment grew, and some of the scouts were holding
each other up in their weakness. Bumpus even solemnly declared the bear
joined in the general hilarity; he did act a bit queerly, and made a
series of sounds that might be construed into bear laughter.

Smithy remarked that the old fellow deserved another feed after such
splendid service in guarding the camp.

"There's that heavy cake Step-hen fetched along; might try him on that;
and if he likes it, we'll be saved more'n one stomach ache," Davy
proposed.

"Why, I didn't think it was so _very_ bad," spoke up Giraffe; and then,
seeing the others frowning at him, he hastened to add; "but if you think
he ought to be fed again, to keep him quiet, why break off a piece,
Smithy."

"A piece!" cried Step-hen, "he gets the whole cake, understand. Talk
about base ingratitude, some persons can never feel anything but the
empty state of their stomach. Why, that bear saved us the whole of our
grub, mebbe, by giving the alarm; and Besides, he scared that bunch so
bad they'll let us alone after this. The bear takes the cake, don't he,
Thad?"

"He certainly does," replied the scout-master, laughing again.

Smithy found that the chained visitor was perfectly agreeable, for the
way he took that heavy cake and devoured, it was a caution.

"Watch him