(ttlan^B Bo^at (Companion 



quent meals, Miss Jim and Mr. Bessie were the 

 dictators of all the black bears and the friends of 

 all the men ; of all the men, save one, — he could 

 not refrain from teasing. Months passed ; the little 

 grizzlies increased in strength. The teasing contin- 

 ued. One day a visiting surgeon set three ribs and 

 an arm. 



"Except for this research into human anatomy, 

 nothing untoward happened until the end of four 

 years. Meanwhile the two grizzlies had, at all 

 times, come and gone at will into and out of the 

 ranch house; had, whenever they desired, tidbits 

 supplemental to their food; attended the ranch 

 meals, perched in orderly fashion on a bench at the 

 foot of the dining- table; and, after the first six 

 months, made any excursion they wished, being 

 absent from the ranch sometimes for several suc- 

 cessive days, going thus either alone or as the com- 

 panions of whatever man might have occasion to 

 travel across country. These trips not infrequently 

 made them adjuncts of a fishing- party, and on such 

 occasions they were always content with their toll 

 of the first four fish caught — two fish for each bear. 



"No attempt was ever made to exact from the 

 bears the performance of tricks. They were treated 



223 



