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the captain saw it all. Hunger had induced this
wee wanderer to enter the trap, and in detaching
the bait, he had sprung the trigger and was caught,

“What are you called, little one?” asked the
captain at length, in a reassuring voice, speaking
Spanish very slowly and distinctly.

“Osito,” replied the wanderer in a small piping
voice, but with the dignity of a warrior.

“Little Bear!” the captain repeated, and burst
into a hearty laugh, immediately checked, how-
ever, by the thought that now ke had caught him,
what was he to do with him? The first thing, evi-
dently, was to feed him.

So he conducted him to the cabin and there, ob-
serving the celerity with which the lumps of sugar
vanished, he saw at once that Little Bear was-most
aptly named. Then, sometimes leading, and some-
times carrying him, for Osito was very small, he set
out for the Ute encampment.

Their approach was the signal fora mighty shout.
Warriors,squaws and the younger confréres of Osito,
crowded about them. A few words from the cap-

tain explained all, and Osito himself, clinging to his

mother was borne away in triumph —the hero of
the hour. Yet, no— the captain was that I be-
lieve. For as he stood in their midst with a very
pleased look on his sunburnt face, the chief quiet-
ing the hubbub with a wave of his hand, advanced
and stood before him. “The great captain has a
good heart,” he said in tones of conviction. ‘ What
can his Ute friends do to show their gratitude?”

“ Nothing,” said the captain looking more pleased
than ever.

OSITO.

“The captain has been troubled by the bears,
Would it please him if they were all driven back to
their dens in the great mountains towards the set-
ting sun?”

“Tt would,” said the captain ; “can it be done?”

“Ttcan. It shall,” said the chief with emphasis, F

“To-morrow let the captain keep his eyes open, and
as the sun sinks behind the mountain tops he shall
see the bears follow also.”

The chief kept his word, The next day the up-
roar on the hills was terrific. Frightened out of their
wits, the bears forsook the acorn fields and fled
ingloriously to their secret haunts in the mountains
to the westward.

In joy thereof the captain gave a great farewell
feast to his red allies. It was spread under the

pines in front of his cabin and every delicacy of the |

season was there, from béar steaks to beaver tails,
The banquet was drawing to a close, and compli-
mentary speeches ’twixt host and guests were in

order, when a procession of the squaws was seen |
They drew

approaching from the encampment.
near and headed for the captain in solemn silence.
As they passed, each laid some gift at his feet —
fringed leggings, beaded moccasons, bear-skins, coy-

ote skins, beaver pelts and soft robes of the moun- :

tain lion’s hide — until the pile reached to the cap-
tain’s shoulders. Last of all came Osito’s mother
and crowned the heap with a beautiful little brown
bear-skin. It was fancifully adorned with blue rib-
bons, and in the centre of the tanned side, there
were drawn, in red pigment, the outlines of a very
stolid and stoical-looking pappoose.