46 TRUE BEAR STORIKS.

other man’s name was Sil Reese. He, also,
is living and famously rich—as rich as he
is stingy, and that is saying that he is very
rich indeed.

The boy preferred the trees to the house,
partly because it was more pleasant and
partly because Sil Reese, who had a large
nose and used it to talk with constantly,
_kept grumbling because the boy, who had
been wounded in defending the ranch, was
not able to work—wash the dishes, maky
fires and so on, and help in a general anil
particular way about the so-called “Sod:
Spring Hotel.” This Sil Reese was cet-
tainly a mean man, as has, perhaps, been
set down in this sketch before.

The baby bears were found asleep, and
alone. How they came to be there, and,
above all, how they came to be left long
enough alone by their mother for a feeble
boy to rush forward at sight of them, catch
them up in his arms and escape with them,
will always be a wonder. But this one
thing is certain, you had about as well