ing like "a rolypoly pudding," as one of the other boys
declared.

"Now!" called out the patrol leader, in a tone of authority.

So the official bugler raised the instrument to his swollen lips, game
to do his duty; and started to put his whole soul into the thrilling
score that, heard at a late hour of the night, always brings with it a
feeling of intense admiration.

He had just uttered the first few notes when they saw him suddenly whirl
around in consternation, and at the same time point with the bugle, as
he shrieked:

"Oh! look! look what's coming in on us, fellows!"

"It's a bear!" whooped Davy Jones, making a bee-line for the nearest
tree, just as might have been expected of such a gymnast.

And Thad, with one look, realized that there was no laughing matter
about it; because it was a sure-enough bear that walked into their camp
on his hind feet!

CHAPTER VI.

THE DANCING BEAR.

The excited announcement made by Davy Jones was instantly succeeded by
such a mad scramble as those boys had certainly never witnessed before
in all their lives. Indeed, none of them saw more than a very small
proportion of the queer sights that took place, and for a very good
reason; because every single fellow was more concerned about reaching a
place of safety than anything else.

Davy gained his tree in about five mad leaps, and the way he mounted up
among the convenient branches would have made a monkey turn green with
envy. There was Giraffe also, who had very good luck in picking out a
tree that offered easy stages for climbing, in that the branches began
fairly close to the ground.

Thad and Allan just happened to choose the same resting-place, and met
as they began to mount upward. Still, as they seemed to have forgotten
an important engagement above, they did not stop to enter into any
conversation just then. There was no telling which one of the crowd the
invader might have selected for his victim, and each boy imagined that
he could feel the hot breath of the bear right at his bare heels.

Some were not so fortunate.

For example, poor Bumpus was having a perfectly dreadful time. He had
had the advantage of sighting the bear first; but that did not go very
far toward counteracting his unwieldy heft, and his clumsy way of always
finding something to stumble over.

True to his habits, Bumpus tripped over one of the guy ropes holding a
tent in taut shape. He rolled over with a howl of fright, fancying t