ing. She got into the cart and turned the goat
about, ready to leave the place. She gave a look over her shoulder at
the hollow log into which she and Ted had seen the furry, brown animal
crawl. It did not seem to be coming out, and Jan was glad of that.

"Giddap, Nicknack!" she called to the goat, and as the animal started
off Ted jumped into the wagon from behind.

"I wish I had a gun," he said.

"You're too little," declared Jan. "Oh, Ted! what if he should chase us?
Was it an awful big bear? I didn't dare look much."

"It wasn't so very big."

"Was it as big as Nicknack?"

"Oh, bigger'n him--a lot."

"Oh!" and again Jan looked back over her shoulder. "I hope he doesn't
chase us," she added.

"I'll fix him if he does!" threatened Ted. "I'll fix him!"

"How? You haven't any gun, and maybe you couldn't shoot it if you had,
lessen maybe it was your Christmas pop gun."

"Pooh! Pop guns wouldn't be any good to shoot a bear! You've got to have
real bullets. But I can fix this bear if he chases us," and Ted tried to
look brave.

"How?" asked Jan again. She felt safer now, for Nicknack was going fast,
and the hollow log, into which the furry animal had crawled, was out of
sight.

"I'll make our goat buck the bear with his horns if he chases us, that's
what I'll do!" declared Ted.

"Oh, that would be good!" exclaimed Jan in delight. "Nicknack is brave
and his horns are sharp. 'Member how he stuck 'em in the fence one day?"

"Yes," answered Ted, "I do. And I'll get him to stick 'em in the bear if
he comes too close. Giddap, Nicknack!" and Ted flicked the goat with the
ends of the reins. I think he wanted the goat to go faster so there
would be no danger of the bear's chasing after him and his sister.
Perhaps Ted thought Nicknack might be afraid of the bear, even if the
goat did have sharp horns.

The Curlytops were greatly excited when they reached the camp. Trouble
was playing out in front and Grandpa Martin had just landed in the boat.

"What's that?" he cried, when he heard Ted's story. "A bear in a hollow
log? Nonsense! There are no bears on Star Island."

"But I saw it, and so did Janet. Didn't you, Jan?" cried Ted.

"I saw something fuzzy with a big tail going inside the log," answered
Teddy's sister.

"Then it couldn't have been a bear," laughed Grandpa Martin. "For a bear
has only a little short, stubby tail. I'll go to see what it is. I think
I know, however."

"What?" asked Mother Martin. "D