32 WILD BROTHER 



Comfortably settled in the mother's lap, both 

 the bear and the baby were enjoying their midday 

 refreshment. A proud and affectionate smile stole 

 over the gentle woman's face as she glanced down 

 at the little ones. I pulled the trigger, and there 

 came a vivid flash and a dull heavy report that 

 rattled the dishes on the shelves. 



Pandemonium prevailed. The room was filled 

 with smoke. Above the crying of the frightened 

 children could be heard the high falsetto squeal of 

 the terrified bear. 



"Land sakes alive, Mr. Underwood !" exclaimed 

 the startled parent. "Why did n't you tell us what 

 was going to happen ?" 



To add to the excitement and confusion the cook, 

 who in the men's room had heard the jarring re- 

 port, came rushing in. Blinded by the smoke and 

 dismayed at the uproar, for a few minutes he 

 was panic-stricken. 



It took some time to quiet the family and assure 

 them that no harm had been done. When the 

 smoke had cleared away, I explained to them that, 

 if I had told them what was going to happen, they 

 would have been frightened before the event oc- 

 curred, and the mother's expression would have 

 been strange and unnatural. 



Now that everything was all right, and no one 

 had been hurt, the children were for having an- 



