it consist as Roger had intimated, of "shredded whisk brooms," but was a
delightful meal, at which Patty became better acquainted with the Warner
family, and confirmed the pleasant impressions she had received the night
before.

After breakfast Mrs. Warner announced that everybody was to do exactly as
he or she pleased until the luncheon hour, but she had plans herself for
their entertainment in the afternoon.

So Winthrop and Roger went off on some affairs of their own, and Bertha
devoted herself to the amusement of the two girls.

First, she suggested they should all walk around the place, and this
proved a delightful occupation.

Pine Branches was an immense estate, covering hundreds of acres, and
there was a brook, a grove, golf grounds, tennis court and everything
that could by any possibility add to the interest or pleasure of its
occupants.

"But my chief and dearest possession," said Bertha, smiling, "is Abiram."

"A dog?" asked Patty.

"No," said Bertha, "but come, and I will show him to you. He lives down
here, in this little house."

The little house was very like a large-sized dog-kennel, but when they
reached it, its occupant proved to be a woolly black bear cub.

"He's a perfect dear, Abiram is," said Bertha, as she opened the door,
and the fat little bear came waddling out. He was fastened to a long
chain, and his antics were funny beyond description.

"He's a real picture-bear," said Bertha; "see, his poses are just like
those of the bears in the funny papers."

And so they were. Patty and Elise laughed heartily to see Abiram sit up
and cross his paws over his fat little body.

"How old is he?" asked Patty.

"Oh, very young, he's just a cub. And of course, we can't keep him long.
Nobody wants a big bear around. At the end of the summer, Papa says,
he'll have to be sent to the Zoo. But we have lots of fun looking at him
now, and I take pictures of him with my camera. He's a dear old thing."
Bertha was sitting down by the bear, playing with him as with a puppy,
and indeed the soft little creature showed no trace of wild animal
habits, or even of mischievous intent.

"He's just like a big baby," said Patty. "Wouldn't it be fun to dress him
up as one?"

"Let's do it," cried Bertha, gleefully. "Come on, girls, let's fly up to
the house, and get the things."

Leaving Abiram sitting in the sun, the three girls scampered back to the
house. Bertha procured two large white aprons and declared