BRUNO MUST DEPART 121 



hole, which he had easily enlarged, the bear had 

 made his escape. This news came to me over the 

 telephone, and Mrs. Underwood, who talked with 

 me, concluded by saying: "Please come home at 

 once ; we have found him. He 's in Bessie's kitchen 

 and we can't get him out." 



This last information made me feel much easier, 

 for Bessie was our very good friend and neighbor. 

 She knew the bear, and her children had often 

 played with him when he was a cub. Just how 

 long the bear had been at liberty, no one could say ; 

 but about eleven o'clock he had made his appear- 

 ance at their kitchen door. The cook, who was new 

 in her position, heard a noise on the back porch, 

 and, on opening the door to see who was there, 

 discovered, to her amazement and dismay, a big 

 black beast trying to get into a small refrigerator 

 that stood close at hand. With a shriek she 

 slammed the door behind her; but it failed to 

 latch, and a moment later the bear entered the 

 kitchen. Imagine the state of mind of that new 

 domestic on this her first day of service in a strange 

 home ! With a wild scream of terror she fled, and 

 left the beast in full possession. This time, how- 

 ever, she was careful to latch the door as she 

 departed. All out of breath, she flew at once to her 

 mistress and hysterically told her story. 



Fortunate it was for me that Bruno had chosen 



