tly outside a cavern, within which it
did not seem possible that any large animal could be hidden. Now Boxer
would rush further in, now Toby, while a whimpering sound, mingled with
an occasional infantine growl, showed us that the cave was alone
occupied by the cubs of which we were in search. Fearing that the
animals would be injured, we called off the dogs, when their bloody
mouths and the brown hair sticking to their jaws, proved that they had
had a battle with the occupants of the cave. The difficulty was now to
get the creatures out without further injuring them. Though I might
easily have crawled in, yet it would be at the risk of being bitten by
the young bears, who would, should I do so, naturally mistake me for one
of the dogs about to renew the fight.

"Stay, massa," said Dio at length; "I do it!" Without delay he cut down
a young sapling, which he quickly stripped of its branches. He had
still tied round his waist a piece of the rope we had brought to secure
the bear. With this we formed a noose at the end of the pole. "Now I
get him out," he observed creeping into the mouth of the cavern and
pushing the pole before him. After moving it about for a few seconds,
he shouted--

"Pull 'way, massa, got one of dem!" and, he quickly backing out, we
hauled away on the rope. The resistance we found told us of Dio's
success, and presently we hauled out a good-sized cub, but it was
bleeding from its mouth and shoulders, an evidence of the severe way in
which the dogs had worried it. Though it struggled and tried to bite,
it was so much hurt, that Uncle Denis, believing that it would not live,
at once put it out of its misery.

"Dere is 'nodder inside," observed Dio, listening at the mouth of the
cave; "git him next."

Once more he shoved in the pole. Some time elapsed before he again
shouted out to us to haul away, when we pulled forth by the front paws
another cub, which, although it had some blood-stains about it, seemed
to be unharmed. The smaller one did not struggle so violently as his
companion had done.

"Just the creature I wanted," exclaimed Uncle Denis, delighted. "I must
muzzle Master Bruin at present, to prevent him from biting our
favourites, but he'll soon become as gentle as a lamb."

The little bear made violent efforts to retaliate, but a piece of rope
put round his nose, prevented him from opening his mouth, while we
fastened his fore-legs together; we then, taking two sticks, plac