of 



he learned to rock himself. This brought on the 

 mishap. He had grown over-confident, and one 

 day was rocking with great enthusiasm. Sud- 

 denly, the big rocker, little man and all, went 

 over backward. Though standing by, I was 

 unable to save him, and did not move. Seeing 

 his angry look when he struck the floor, and 

 guessing his next move, I leaped upon the table. 

 Up he sprang, and delivered a vicious blow that 

 barely missed, but which knocked a piece out of 

 my trousers. 



Apparently no other large animal has such in- 

 tense curiosity as the grizzly. An object in the 

 distance, a scent, a sound, or a trail, may arouse 

 this, and for a time overcome his intense and 

 wary vigilance. In satisfying this curiosity he 

 will do unexpected and apparently bold things. 

 But the instant the mystery is solved he is him- 

 self again, and may run for dear life from some 

 situation into which his curiosity has unwit- 

 tingly drawn him. An unusual noise behind 

 Johnny's shed would bring him out with a rush, 

 to determine what it was. If not at once satis- 

 fied as to the cause, he would put his fore paws 



214 



