64 TRUE BEAR STORIES. 



carefully in a heap, that nothing might roll 

 off into the water, he walked, or rather 

 danced on out to where the further end 

 of the great fallen tree lay lodged on a 

 huge boulder in the middle of the swift 

 and surging river. His legs dangled down 

 and he patted his plump thighs with great 

 satisfaction. Then he leaned over and saw 

 some gold and silver trout, then he flopped 

 over and lay down on his breast to get a 

 better look at them. Then he thought he 

 heard something behind him on the other 

 end of the log! He pulled himself together 

 quickly and stood erect, face about. There 

 was a bear! It was one of those mean, 

 sneaking, long-nosed, ant-eating little fel 

 lows, it is true, but it was a bear! And a 

 bear is a bear to a boy, no matter about 

 his size, age or character. The boy stood 

 high up. The boy's bear stood up. And 

 the boy's hair stood up! 



The bear had evidently not seen the boy 

 yet. But it had smelled his boots and 

 clothes, and had got upon his dignity. But 



