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 
