100 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 
