28 BEARS AND BEAVERS. 



bees and honey, no one contemplated the possibility 

 of these inquisitive, long-haired rogues interfering with 

 the hive. However, from a spirit of devilment, or 

 having smelt the precious sweet store within, they 

 upset the bee-hive just as our venerable housekeeper 

 was passing, who was forthwith assailed by the irate 

 swarm and stung most painfully. 



Naturally enough, she screamed out, which brought 

 my friend and self to the rescue, when we encountered 

 a repetition of her misfortune. Probably as I was first 

 on the scene I received the greatest amount of 

 attention from the infuriated insects, the result of 

 which was that I was laid up for a couple of days, 

 but my friend lost both bees and honey. As for the 

 young rascals the perpetrators of all this mischief, 

 they appeared to have escaped untouched, but what 

 can be expected of the scions of such a race, when 

 the mature animals think nothing of descending a 

 hollow tree in search of their favourite luxury, honey, 

 rump foremost in defiance of a thousand assailants. 



For this climax to their misdeeds the cubs were 

 presented to Joe the Indian, who transferred them to 

 a trader, who ultimately sold them to a collector in 

 the service of the Amsterdam Zoological Gardens. 

 In Holland they arrived safe and sound, and may at 

 this date be eating buns from the hands of innume- 

 rable fat and phlegmatic Dutch boys and girls. 



For one who is fond of field sports, is an ardent 

 admirer of nature in her most lovely moods, does not 

 object to solitude, and can put up with a rough 

 dwelling and coarse but wholesome fare, there are 

 many charms to be found in a life on a farm in the 

 backwoods of Canada. 



