see in the dark log. Anyhow, I wanted
to get up. So I poked at what I thought was the other man sleeping with
me. I poked him again, and I noticed that he had on a fur coat like
mine.

"'Come on!' I cried. 'Time to get up!'

"And then, all of a sudden there was a growl and a sniff and a snuff,
and, instead of a _man_ crawling out the other end of the log, there was
a big, shaggy _bear_!"

"Really?" asked Jan, her eyes big with surprise.

"Really and truly," said Uncle Frank.

"Oh! Oh!" gasped Teddy. "Weren't you scared?"

"Well, I didn't have time to be," answered Uncle Frank. "You see, I
didn't know it was a bear that had crawled into the log to sleep with me
until he crawled out, and there wasn't any use in getting frightened
then.

"Out of the log scrambled the bear, and I guess he was as much surprised
as I was to find he'd been sleeping in the same hollow-tree-hotel with a
man. Away he ran! I could see him running down the hill when I crawled
out of the log. Morning had come, the snow had stopped, and I could see
to find my way back to the town I had left. But I was glad the bear got
in the log with me, for he helped keep me warm. And, all the while, I
thought it was another man with a fur coat on like mine.

"There, now that's all the story, and you Curlytops must go to bed!
Hello! Trouble's asleep already!"

And so the little fellow was, in Uncle Frank's arms.

"Oh, that was an awful nice story!" said Jan. "Thank you!"

"Yes, it was," added her brother. "I'm awful glad you came to see us,"
he went on. "I hope you'll stay forever and tell us a story every night.
We like stories!"

"Well, one every night would be quite a lot," said his uncle. "But I'll
see about it. Anyhow, Aunt Jo and I are glad to be here--at least I am,"
and Aunt Jo nodded to show that she was also.

"Come, children!" called Mrs. Martin. "Uncle Frank was very good to tell
you such a nice, funny story. But now you really must go to bed.
To-morrow is another day, and our company will be here then, and for
some time longer."

"Did you know they were coming, Mother?" asked Jan, as she slid off her
uncle's knee.

"Well, I had an idea," was the smiling answer.

"Is this the surprise daddy was talking about?" Ted queried.

"Yes, this is it," answered his father. "Do you like it?"

"Um, yes!" laughed Ted, and Jan smiled to show that she was of the same
mind.

When the Curlytops were in bed Aunt Jo and Uncle Frank told Mr. and M