88 WILD BROTHER 



My cousin kindly offered to take a hand in the 

 affair. In order that the accumulation of food on 

 the bear's face might be seen plainly in the photo- 

 graph, I had put some dry flour into his breakfast. 

 This touch of dingy whiteness gave him such a ludi- 

 crous aspect that I laughed in spite of myself, 

 though I knew full well that it would add to the 

 difficult task ahead of us. 



Bruno had eaten his breakfast in the box-stall 

 out in the cow-barn. Having finished his repast, 

 without any further preliminaries he took up his 

 position in one corner of the stall, where he could 

 be safe from any attack in the rear. He seemed to 

 know that there was trouble brewing, and the ex- 

 pression on his face conveyed the idea that he was 

 ready and eager for it. I suggested to my cousin 

 that he take the sponge, advance toward the cor- 

 ner, and make as if he were going to wash the bear's 

 face. I would stand by with the camera, and if any- 

 thing unusual happened, I would take a picture 

 of it. 



As we were planning the attack, Bruno stood up 

 on his hind-legs, put his back against the wall, and 

 thrust his paws out in front of him like a prize- 

 fighter awaiting the call for action. But my cousin 

 was n't particularly anxious to begin. " I may not 

 know much about photography," he said, "but I 

 must confess that I have no knowledge whatever 



