THE BLACK BEAR COMEDIAN 99 



were preying on them or the birds that were 

 eating the insects. I was naturally nicknamed 

 the Tree Climber. There was now a unanimous 

 call for the Tree Climber to go up and get the 

 bear down! 



Of course no one wants to climb a tree when 

 it is full of bears. But at last I was persuaded 

 to climb a tree near the one in which the bear 

 reposed and try to rout him out. ' He had 

 climbed up rapidly head foremost. He went 

 down easily tail foremost. The instant he 

 touched the earth there was such a yelling and 

 slapping of coats that for a time the bear was 

 confused as to whether he should fight or frolic. 

 He decided to climb again. But in his confusion 

 he took the wrong tree. He climbed up be- 

 neath me! 



From long experience since that time I now 

 realize that the bear simply wanted to romp, for 

 he was scarcely more than one year of age. 

 The black bear is neither ferocious nor danger- 

 ous. The most fitting name I have ever heard 

 given him is The Happy Hooligan of the Woods. 

 He is happy-go-lucky, and taking thought of the 

 morrow is not one of his troubles. 



The most surprising pranks I ever saw were 

 those of a pet cub. During one of my rambles 

 in the mountains of Colorado I came to the 

 cabin of an eccentric prospector who always 



