Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1922-05-01
CHAPTER I
Tho Birds Tell the News

CHAPTER /
Tho Birds Tell tho News
ct WONDER what has become Of
i Cold Nose, the bear, who was
faced boys fishing line" said Jack to
Janet one, day as they lay on the top
Of q hill in the great woods, resting
from their play. 80. %..
/ Perhaps the hook came out Of the
bears ear and he gobbled up the
freckled- faced boy" replied Janet.
"You know the bear was very hungry
after his extra long winters Sleep" g..
=. PERKY Squirrel may know" sug.
sested Jack, looking up among the tree
branches for their busy friend. Perky
Squirrel was not & in sight: nor could eSad
were rather tired, they made up their
minds not to 60 seeking Perky Squir.
rel. but to wait there until he should
come along. Then they could ask him
what had become Of the bear and the
freckled- faced boy.
As they waited, Jack and Janet closed
their eyes so they could rest better.
After a time they became aware CT
voices chattering above their heads.
Hello, Mr.. Cat Bird. have you
heard the awful news?' one voice was
mo, Mr.. Cocky Robin" replied the
other voice. "What is the awful
"Cold Nose, the bear. has lost his
freedom" cried Cocky Robin.
lie is shut up behind prison bars
added Brown Thrush.
"Rappity- rap -rap-rap! You couldn't
shut me up" hoasted Reddy Wood
pccker, who was cutting hole in hol:
low tree; with my strong bcak I'd
'Supposing you had a chain around
your neck?'' said Bob.o link. - :.
spell Of clever magician?" shrieked
Purple Swallow from above. q
"And supposing that magician held
you as a slave and made you do all
sorts of queer things?" screamed Po-
liceman Blue Jay. t
Goodness me, is that what has hap.
pened to Gold Nose, tho bear" asked
Janet, sitting up straight. -" K p.
"Yes. that is what has happened to
Cold Nose. the bear" chorused all the
birds. Gould anything worse happen
to one of the free folks Of the forest?"
Jack and Janet were sorry for Cold
thought he was largely to blame for
his own trouble.
That is what he gets for being
bad bear and wanting to eat Janet
and me and the freckled- faced boy"
Tie wouldn't have been a bad bear
II he had eaten yOu when he was
hungry" argued Cocky Robin. "Am
I bad bird when ! eat worm?"
'No, but Cold Nose was going to
cat u.s." said Jack.
"How about the worms, don't they
call themselves 'us'?' Cocky Robin per-
sisted sisted. ,.,, AND hna yet | eat them and
This argument. sounded reasonable
to Jack, but he didn't have time to
think about it,, for just then Perky
Squirrel scurried up in a great hurry
'Ek! Ek! Here You are!' he
barked at Jack and Janet. II have
been looking for you everywhere. You
helped get Cold Nose. the bear. into
trouble. and now you have to help get
him out from under the spell OF the
clever magician. loose him from his
iron chain, and free him from his
prison. Elk! Elk! Hurry up"
Jack and Janet ran after Perky
Squirrel as he friskcd away and the
birds all followed overhead. The chill
dren ran up hill and down until they
tuhc W cicui'us " tHc cuBc VI tuo
woods.
There they saw house and barn
and yard. In the yard was large
cage made Of heavy posts and wire
fencing. In this cage was Cold Nose,
the bear, and very queer figure, in
tall, pointed hat. Something was
wrong with Cold Nose, the bear. He
didn't seem to have any head. A
second look showed Jack and Janet
that he had a head, all right, but was
upside down.
"Oh, Cold Nose, the bear, has been
turned topsy- -turvy by the cruel, clever
magician" shrieked the birds. ''Oh.
Cold Nose, the bear, will have to walk
on his nose"
(Jsck and Janet plan TO free Cold Nose,
tAs bear. but Eet = surprise, as Will