IN TIMES OF TROUBLE 113 



A few minutes later, it occured to me that I was 

 taking a risk in leaving my camera unguarded in 

 the room with the bear ; so I asked my boy to run 

 to the studio and let Bruno out, or bring the cam- 

 era in. 



Presently I heard a shout: "Father, come quick, 

 and see what Bruno 's doing." 



I rushed back to salvage what might be left of 

 the camera, for I feared the worst. My anxiety 

 was groundless, however, for though the bear was 

 in mischief, the camera was safe. In the few min- 

 utes of my absence Bruno had rolled open the two 

 heavy sliding doors and was now in the wash-room. 

 There he sat in perfect contentment, in one of the 

 laundry tubs, soaking in the warm water, with the 

 soft clothing of the week's wash comfortably 

 settled beneath him. It was a cold February day, 

 and the look of pleasure on his roguish face showed 

 how much he was enjoying this midwinter luxury. 

 With great composure, he sat perfectly still while 

 I took his picture. 



Then, before I could slip in another plate-holder 

 for a second shot, he turned about and reaching 

 up to the soap-tray on the wall over the tub, took 

 from it a bar of yellow soap and began to wash his 

 hands. I did want to get that picture ; but by the 

 time a new plate was in position, Bruno had 

 dropped the soap into the tub. Of course, he was 



