s. Pig's children that could
squeeze through the opening.

Grunty Pig trotted the whole length of the lane. When he reached the
pasture he found himself face to face with the Muley Cow, who acted much
surprised to see him there.

"You'd better go back home at once," she advised him. "There are bears
on Blue Mountain. Sometimes they come down this way. Only last week I
had an adventure with one in the back pasture." She did not tell Grunty
that she had run away from Cuffy Bear, down the hillside. "A bear," said
the Muley Cow, "would be delighted to meet a tender little pig like
you."

Grunty Pig did not even thank the Muley Cow for warning him.

"I'd like to meet a bear," he declared stoutly. "I hope I'll meet one
to-day."

Leaving the Muley Cow, he zigzagged up the hill through the pasture,
stopping now and then to dig up many a juicy root.

Although Mrs. Pig missed her runaway son after a time, she was not
greatly disturbed.

"He can't be far off," she thought. "He'll come back before dark." And
when Grunty did at last come crawling into the little yard Mrs. Pig was
merely vexed with him for having gone off without her consent. She was
just about to give him a well deserved scolding. But before she could
speak to him, Grunty greeted her with a loud squeal.

"I saw a bear in the pasture!" he cried.

Mrs. Pig promptly forgot her displeasure. Although her son was certainly
unharmed, she couldn't help being startled. It gave her what she called
"a turn" to learn that Grunty had met a bear.

"A bear!" Mrs. Pig gasped. "A bear is a terribly dangerous creature.
It's a wonder that you ever got home.... What did you do when you saw
him?" Mrs. Pig demanded.

"I walked away," said Grunty.

"He couldn't have noticed you," Mrs. Pig declared. "If you had squealed
it would have been the end of you."

Grunty Pig felt that he was the most important member of the family. Not
one of his brothers or sisters had ever seen a bear. At least they had
never claimed to have enjoyed so fearsome a sight.

"It was nothing," he boasted. "I'd as soon meet a bear as the Muley
Cow."

His mother, however, was of another mind. She kept looking about in an
uneasy fashion.

"I wish Farmer Green would come and put us into our pen," she murmured.
"It will soon be dark. And I shouldn't like to spend the night out
here--not with a bear in the neighborhood."

IX

A GREAT ADVENTURE

The next outing that Farmer Green gave Mrs.