24 WILD BROTHER 



they were interrupted by a plaintive cry from the 

 hole in the ground. They stopped and listened. 

 Again they heard it, a whimpering, pitiful call of 

 distress. 



The cook lay flat on the snow, and reaching down 

 into the den touched a small soft object. Wonder- 

 ingly he drew it forth into the daylight. To his 

 amazement he beheld a tiny little bear, no larger 

 than a gray squirrel. Its eyes were not open, and 

 it wriggled helplessly in his hand. 



Of course the men, when they killed the bear, 

 did not know about the cub down below, but it 

 probably would have made no difference if they 

 had. Bearskins were worth twenty-five dollars, 

 and the state would pay a bounty of ten dollars ; 

 moreover, the meat was needed in the lumber- 

 camp for food. 



Few people realize how diminutive at birth 

 black-bear cubs are. They weigh only from nine to 

 twelve ounces, and are about the size of a little 

 kitten. Their bodies are almost naked only 

 partly covered with short dark hair. Their eyes 

 remain shut until they are about five weeks old. 

 Not until their mother takes them out in the warm 

 weather of spring, when they are three to four 

 months old, do the cubs leave their birthplace. 

 They are never seen in the woods until they have 

 grown considerably and can run about with ease 



