52 WILD BROTHER 
his nose, in an absurdly grotesque manner, he be- 
gan, as if on a pivot, to turn round and round like 
a kitten when chasing its tail. 
After this exercise had continued for a minute 
or two, he would stop suddenly and, wagging his 
head up and down, would rush straight ahead for 
a few yards. Then again he would pause, wheel 
about, and run like mad in the opposite direction. 
These capers he repeated several times; then sud- 
denly he would pick up a small stick or a chip of 
wood, and, holding it in his mouth, would curl 
himself into a round brown ball and roll head over 
heels down the mossy incline, sometimes not stop- 
ping till he bounced with a splash into the cold 
water of the brook. This climax to his act always 
brought great applause from the lumbermen, who 
swore that Bruno was surely going to be a river- 
driver of great merit. 
Before our outing was over, we called once more 
at Bruno’s home, and again I tried to buy the little 
bear; but as before Mrs. Weldon would not con- 
sider parting with him. 
“Tf he becomes cross or rough when he grows 
larger, and Ursula should be in danger, I will let 
you know,” she said; “and then, if you want to buy 
him, I will give him up.” 
