The sun. (Wilmington, Del.) 1897-19??, 1901-05-15
CAUGHT In THE TRAP
by CLIFFORD WELLS.


suit, the bait was gone and the trap sprung,
but no game.
i believe" said Pierre, chat the bait
was taken away by human being; it
couldn't be SO clean gone if taken by any
animal, know"
"Pooh!" exclaimed Stacy. "a white man
would have to be pretty hungry to steal
from these traps, especially when camp Is
close by with plenty and to spare. And, be.
sides, man would surely break through the
snow crust, somewhere"
That night the camp was visited BY some
mysterious person, or animal, and big
wooden pail OF butter cmptied, and cakes
Of maple sugar stolen. For three nights the
thievery continued and the fourth night a
watch was kept in the camp but not sign
81 animal or man rewarded the watchers.
The traps were sprung and the bait had dis.
appeared, however, the next morning, when
the boys made their rounds. They had ~
traps in all, and it was not until about noon
that the last was reached As they neared
it Pierre's bright eyes discovered that the
hard crust OF snow had been broken, and
that the tracks We're those Of some large
animal.
I'm sure we've got him this time" whis.
pered Stacy, eXcitedy. What do you SUP.
pose it can be? His tracks are as big as Y
as bear almost-suppose it should be
bear, Pierre what would we do with HIM
Pooh! 1t isn't bear" said Pierre, de
hdedly, you needn't worry, if he's cute
Enough to steal all he's been stealing dur
ing the past week he knows enough to keep
out of trap-even good one like this"
Perre's sentence was interrupted by a
sf,a 10 -. a
wild animal, and the rattle of chains from
the trap. They stopped an instant, holding
their breaths and peering anxiously toward
the trap. The whine was repeated, and it
| seemed to say:
Mamma, mamma, come help me out Of
trouble"
Stacy did not hesitate minute longer.
lie understood that language AZ lie always
understood the dogs when they whined or
barked or waggcd their tails, and he rushed
| forward.
There, caught fast in the trap, and whn-
| ing and CRYING like baby, was the round
est and blacklist little cub Of bear you
have ever seen.
There's the thief" shouted Pierre. "Ah,
YOU young rascal, now we've got you.
| You're smart, but our trap is smarter than
you!"
The cub, instead of showing fear Of the
| boys as they approached, raised himself on
| his hind legs and sat there like dog beg
ging.
Pierre, he's laughing" declared Stacy.
''He does look so, said Pierre; "and he
doesn't look a bit savage, does he? He-he
| looks almost human"
Stacy had gone forward, and, much to his
| surprise the sociable little cub put out his
front right paw as ii to shake hands, and the
| boy, always fond Of animals, offered his
| They shook hands like brothers, the little
cub fairly laughing with joy at having
found friend.
He's tame bear" declared Stacy, "and
Pm not bit afraid of him. Help me t.
loosen the trap from his foot, will you
| Pierre? I'm going to put strap arount
his neck and lead him back to camp"
Together they loosened the clamp, tn,
sagacious little cub watching every move
ment, and doing his best to help. In a few
minutes he was free, and the first thing h,
did was to hug Stacy-not big, bear-lik'
hug, but gentle, funny, cublike one, tina
which made both boys laugh. The cul
| danced about on the frozen crust of snow
as well as he could with his hurt foot, turne,
| series of somersets, stood on his head ant
| walked on two feet as naturally as boy
while Pierre and Stacy, with eyes Wild
open in establishment, stood fascinated b!
the exhibition.
It certainly seemed ridiculous to put
strap on an intelligent animal like this, s.
they decided to take him as though h
were a companion, without force.
Indeed, the little cub was only too gla,
to have company, and he frolicked clumsil
along with the two boys, grunting ever
now and then to let them know how salts
fled he was with his lot. But at every ste
his poor foot grew more painful, and he cre'
like baby.
We've got to get you to camp" sal
Stacy, when at last the cub sat down, whir
ing and crying and apparently unable 7
walk further, land I'm awfully surry fo
you little cub. You're pluchy fellow, any
way. Say Pierre are you willing to carr
him? We can make chair, as we do a
home for Meg and Beth"
Pierre looked little doubtful MS t
whether he cared to be quite so close to tn
bear, but the little cub whined again 5
piteously that he said; Eyes"
Ten minutes later the men in camp wer
astonished to see a queer procession al
preaching. The two boys had made cha
of their hands, and the little cub was sittin
on it as any child might have done, with
shaggy black arm around each boys nee
and happy expression on his little bea
face.
"Where did you find your brother!
shouted old Pete. as they came up, and I'll
men crowded around. Uncle Percy, VIII
had studied surgery, bound up the hit
cubs foot in the most approved mamie
and then, after good dinner, he was a
lowed to lie down by the fire and sleep.
"Where do you suppose he learned a
those tricks?" Pierre asked his uncle. III
can't be wild bear"
Probably lost from some circus" s''
: pcsted Uncle Percy, but how he ever g
( here is more than | can guess. unless
dropped off train. No through trains ste
down at the junction, but he may hay
dropped off as one slowed up.
, "But the functions 20 miles away, o
s jected Stacy.
. Eyes. he is a Travelled cub, ! think" a
swered Uncle Perry. "And If no one com
along to claim him you boys will have
delightful companion for the rest OF yo
!. stay"
r. "And they did. Bob Bruin, as they CALI
him. became the favorite of the camp, AZ
his pranks and capcrs, which would M
t pood-sZed book, kept the boys amused
n hours at G time, and when they went ba
/. TO their own home Bob Bruin went to
n much to the delight of all the children in I
Z town and the disgust of the mothers, W
). didn't know what a gentleman Bob Bri
,vos-Roston Globe,