ioo WATCHED BY WILD ANIMALS 



had some kind of a pet. On this occasion it 

 was a black bear cub. The cub was so attached 

 to the place that unchained he stayed or played 

 near by all day while his master was away at 

 work. 



With moccasined feet I approached the cabin 

 quietly, and the first knowledge I had of the cub 

 was his spying my approach from behind a tree 

 in the rear of the cabin. He was standing erect, 

 with his body concealed behind the tree; only 

 a small bit of his head and an eye were visible. 

 As I approached him he moved round, keeping 

 the tree between us. 



Finally he climbed up several feet; and as I 

 edged round he sidled about like a squirrel, 

 and though always peeking at me, kept his body 

 well concealed on the opposite side of the tree. 

 On my going to the front of the cabin he de- 

 scended; and when I glanced round the front 

 corner to see him, he was peeking round the 

 rear corner at me. 



As I had kept up a lively, pleasant conver- 

 sation all this time, he evidently concluded that 

 I was friendly, and, like a boy, proceeded to 

 show off. Near by stood a barrel upright, with 

 the top missing. Into this the bear leaped and 

 then deliberately overturned it on the steep 

 slope. Away down hill rolled the barrel at a 

 lively pace with the bear inside. Thrusting 



