im in astonishment.

"It's father's birthday!" he cried. You remember that Cuffy's mother had
told him that Mr. Bear was born on the day of a great forest fire, and
that he never had a birthday except when the woods caught fire again.
"Now maybe father will bring home another little pig for a feast!" Cuffy
said hopefully.

XXII

THE RAIN COMES

Cuffy Bear was disappointed. For when at last his father came galloping
up to his house he brought no pig with him. Indeed he seemed to have
forgotten that it was his birthday.

"Get the children!" he shouted to Mrs. Bear, as soon as he came in
sight. And pretty soon Cuffy and Silkie and their father and mother were
hurrying along on their way to the lake that lay on the other side of
the mountain.

Cuffy was delighted. He thought that perhaps he would see the naughty
little bear Peter again; for he remembered that Peter lived around the
mountain, right where they were going.

They had travelled several miles when Mr. Bear stopped suddenly. And he
said, "Hah!" And he looked up at the sky. Something had hit him right in
the eye. You might think that Mr. Bear was angry. But no! He was very
glad. For it was a drop of rain that had fallen upon him. And in a few
minutes there were countless drops pattering down. Yes, soon it was
raining hard. And to Cuffy's great disappointment they all started
homewards again, for Mr. Bear knew that the rain would soon put the fire
out.

Mr. Bear had known all the time that his house wouldn't burn; for it was
made of rock, and went straight into the side of the mountain. But he
knew that if the woods all around caught fire it would be several days
before they could go out and get anything to eat, or even a drink of
water. And that was why he had started to lead his family away.

When they were back in their house once more Cuffy could think of only
one thing that would make up for his not having seen the small bear
Peter again. And he climbed up on his father's knees and said--

"Will you go and get a little pig, Father?"

"A _pig_?" Mr. Bear exclaimed. "Well, now--why on earth do you want a
pig? What would you do with a pig?"

"I'd eat it," Cuffy answered promptly. "It's your birthday, you know.
And we ought to have a pig so we can have a real feast."

Mr. Bear smiled. And pretty soon he went out of the house. He was gone a
long time. But at last he came back again, fairly staggering beneath
the load that he carried.

When