58 WILD BROTHER 
walk right through it without any trouble, while a 
soap-box would have furnished him with much 
more comfortable quarters than my packing-case. 
Soon after our arrival a brisk wind came out of 
the north, and as a protracted sojourn in the under- 
ground fire retreat offered no attractions to us, we 
made haste to move out. Bruno was playing in the 
lap of his oldest sister. They were having a great 
frolic: with his long claws the cub was tickling her, 
while he stood on his hind-legs and tried to kiss her 
on the chin. The little girl’s happy laugh quickly 
changed to a bitter cry of disappointment when 
Bruno was taken from her, and she learned that 
she would lose her playmate and never see him 
again. It was a sad occasion for all that happy 
family, and Mrs. Weldon was even more distressed 
than the others. She told me that, under similar 
circumstances, she would gladly adopt another 
bear. 
All the children were sobbing. The bear was the 
only happy member of the group. He, lucky 
creature, did not know that he was to be taken 
away, though a few minutes before the time of 
parting he had unconsciously kissed Sister Ursula 
good-bye. Ursula had been sitting on the oilcloth 
table-top, watching her brothers and sisters, who 
were crying at the thought of the coming separa- 
tion — and herself feeling a little sad in sympathy. 
