BRUNO IN BELMONT 89 
on, the subject of bears. I'll take the camera and 
do the best I can, and you take the sponge and do 
the washing.” 
I finally persuaded him to make a bluff at it 
anyway, and promised not to let the bear do him 
any damage while he was making the attempt. 
With considerable apprehension depicted on his 
face, he slowly and cautiously advanced until the 
sponge was only two feet from Bruno’s head and 
just beyond reach of the cub’s paws, which were 
held alert, ready for immediate action. Here for a 
moment he paused, while the bear, looking him 
squarely in the eye, held his ground. “Come on, 
if you dare,” his attitude plainly implied. 
Cousin moved a step forward, and nothing hap- 
pened; another step, and still no trouble. Then 
came the surprise. The sponge was lowered slowly 
until it touched the cub’s head. Still Bruno made 
no fuss, but standing quietly in the corner, with the 
utmost composure allowed himself to be washed 
without a murmur of complaint. I never quite 
knew whether it was the punishment of the day 
before, or the big stick that he saw in my hand, 
that changed his attitude. At any rate I never 
had any further trouble about washing his face. 
As a matter of fact, within a few days he graduated 
from the wooden trough and ate his meals,without 
any fuss from whatever dish we set before him. 
