Johnny Bear 



face to face with a large Blackbear and her two 

 cubs. 



I stopped short, not a little startled. The 

 Bears also stopped and sat up to look at me. 

 Then Mother Bear made a curious short 

 Koff Koff, and looked toward a near pine- 

 tree. The cubs seemed to know what she 

 meant, for they ran to this tree and scrambled 

 up like two little monkeys, and when safely aloft 

 they sat like small boys, holding on with their 

 hands, while their little black legs dangled in 

 the air, and waited to see what was to happen 

 down below. 



The Mother Bear, still on her hind legs, came 

 slowly toward me, and I began to feel very 

 uncomfortable indeed, for she stood about six 

 feet high in her stockings and had apparently 

 never heard of the magical power of the human 

 eye. 



I had not even a stick to defend myself with, 

 and when she gave a low growl, I was about to 

 retreat to the Hotel, although previously assured 

 that the Bears have always kept their truce with 

 man. However, just at this turning-point the 

 old one stopped, now but thirty feet away, and 



146 



