t enough of us without."

Still he went over with them to the icehill and they all began sliding
down.

After a while Sprawley said: "I know a great deal nicer hill than this
one. It's just a little farther on; come on and I'll show it to you."

"Oh," said Fatty, "but suppose we should see some ice-mermen?"

"Pooh!" said Sprawley, "I ain't afraid. It's a great deal nicer than
this. Come on."

So the three little bears and Teddy trotted on to another hill, and it
really was much longer and steeper than the other; it went down almost
to the edge of the sea.

They had slidden down it only a few times when Dumpy cried out: "Oh!
look! look! There are some ice-mermen and they are making faces at me."

There they were, sure enough, looking over the edge of the ice,--ugly
little gray things with mouths like fishes, and they were making faces,
and presently they began to sing,--

"Bear cubs! Bear cubs! Look at their toes;
Look at their ears and their hair and their nose.
The great big walrus will surely come
To eat up the bear cubs and give us some."

Dumpy growled at them, though he was frightened, but Fatty began to cry.

Just then one of the mermen sent a piece of ice sliding across at them,
and it hit Fatty's paws and upset her. She was so fat that she rolled
over and over before she could get up. Dumpy ran to her, and as soon as
she was on her feet again they began galloping toward home as fast as
they could, followed by Sprawley and Teddy.

As they ran along Teddy saw that Sprawley was shaking all over, and he
thought it was because he was afraid, until he caught up to him; then
he saw that he was laughing. "What are you laughing at?" he asked, but
Sprawley only showed his teeth and growled in answer.

When they reached the cave and told the Mother Bear about the mermen she
scolded them well for going so near the edge of the water, and said it
was time for them to go to bed. Father Bear was going on a hunt the next
day, and he was going to let the cubs go part of the way with him, so
they must have a good rest.

The Mother Bear gave them each their share of seal meat, and then she
went into the cave.

"Oh, Fatty," said Sprawley, "just look behind you and see if you don't
see a merman."

Fatty turned her head, but there was nothing there. When she looked
back again she burst into a loud whine. "Ou-u-u! ou-u-u-u!" she cried,
"Sprawley stole my nicest piece of meat, so he did. Ou-u-u!"