lots, have good time."

"Will you be good to him, Pedro?" asked the housewife, for she hated to
think of the bear's having any but considerate treatment.

"Y-e-a-r-r--lady," replied Pedro. "I feed heem much sugar, much peanut
and much banan. He good bar, I keep heem careful and good."

So Pedro finally left a part of the contents of one of his packs in
exchange for the bear, and went upon his way with a lighter pack. In
one hand he held a stout rope, the other end of which was fastened in
Black Bruin's collar.

The poor bear continually looked back and whined as they went down the
road, but Pedro coaxed and bribed him with sugar, that he had brought
along for the purpose, until he was out of sight of the house.

Once beyond the reach of interference upon the part of his recent
master, the Italian cut a stout heavy stick and sharpened one end, and
with that as a goad, he drove the bear relentlessly before him.
Instead of coaxing there were henceforth sharp thrusts with the point
of the stick and savage blows upon the head.

At first Black Bruin was furious at such treatment, for had he not been
spoiled and petted all his life? He soon saw, however, that this man
was a new and terrible creature to be obeyed instantly, and one whose
wrath it was not well to provoke by pulling back or sulking.

For several hours they journeyed on in this manner, until a small
village was reached. Here the peddler disposed of the remaining goods
in his two packs at a country store, and went into business as the
keeper of a dancing-bear.

That night the two slept in an old barn, curled down in the hay, and
nestled closely together for warmth.

When his deep breathing told the bear that his new master was sleeping
soundly, he crawled carefully out of their nest and tried to slip away.
But with a start Pedro awoke and pulled savagely upon his collar, while
with his stick he prodded him back into his nest.

Truly this was a strange and terrible creature into whose hands he had
fallen. He knew what was going on when he was asleep, as well as when
he was awake. There would be no escape from him. The poor brute did
not appreciate the fact that the Italian had tied the loose end of the
rope about his wrist, so that the slightest tug upon it would awaken
him.

The following morning, Black Bruin began his labors as bread-winner for
both. At the first farmhouse they came to, Pedro stopped and in his
broken English, offered to ente