play with
Nettie, and they had lots of fun on the sand.

After a while Arthur happened to think of what he had said he was going
to do--dig a sand cave for his Bear.

"We'll make a big one," he said to the red-haired lad. "We'll dig a big
hole."

"With clam shells!" cried the other lad, and, putting aside the Plush
Bear and the airship, the two little friends began to make a large hole
in the sand. When it was finished the Plush Bear was put down in it, and
some sticks were stuck up in front.

"We'll make believe the sticks are the bars of his cage," said Arthur.
"We'll pretend he's a circus Bear."

"Oh, yes," agreed the red-haired boy. "That's lots of fun."

So they played with the Plush Bear in the hole of the sand for some
time. Then other boys and girls came along, joining in the fun, and
pretty soon some children rode past on ponies.

"Oh, I'm going to ask mother if we can't ride on the ponies!" cried
Nettie.

"So'm I!" added her brother, and, forgetting all about the Plush Bear in
the hole, away they ran to tease for ponies to ride. Mrs. Rowe was
sitting on the sand not far from where the children had been playing.

"Yes, Arthur and Nettie, you may ride the ponies," she said. "I'll take
you down and tell the man to put you on."

And in the excitement of the pony ride Arthur forgot all about his Plush
Bear in the sand cave. The toy was left there all alone, and he did not
know what to think.

"I wonder if I dare knock down those sticks they call bars and climb
out?" thought the toy. "I don't believe any one is looking." He was just
going to do this when along the beach dashed one of the ponies with a
little girl on his back. The pony stepped close to the hole where the
Plush Bear was, and in another instant the sand caved in, covering Mr.
Bruin from sight!

CHAPTER IX

OUT TO SEA

Sand ran down into the eyes of the Plush Bear. Grains of sand tickled
his plush toes. Some even got in his plush mouth that he opened when he
gave his growls. Other grains of sand trickled between the joints of his
paws and his body.

"Oh, dear, this is terrible!" said Mr. Bruin, as he found himself in
darkness when the hole into which Arthur had placed him caved in from
the feet of the pony. "This is simply terrible!"

But though the Plush Bear, being by himself, was allowed to talk and
move about, pretending to come to life, he soon found that it was not
wise to open his mouth. The wider he opened it the m