Part 1

[Illustration:

“Bump—Slide—Splash!—and he plunged beneath the surface of the icy lake.”

—Page 3 ]

THE ADVENTURES OF Twinkly Eyes THE LITTLE BLACK BEAR

By ALLEN CHAFFEE

Author of TALES OF THE TIMID, Little Stories of the Lives and Habits of the Wild, Told for Children and Their Elders.

Illustrated by PETER DARU

1919 MILTON BRADLEY COMPANY SPRINGFIELD, MASSACHUSETTS

_Copyright 1919_ By MILTON BRADLEY COMPANY Springfield, Massachusetts _All Rights Reserved_

Bradley Quality Books _for_ Children

INTRODUCTION

These little stories, which are intended both for children and their elders, are really true to natural science.

Disguised in fiction form, the reader gets a taste of biology, botany, zoology, and meteorology.

Such a taste may or may not lead the child to further study along those lines, but it will certainly give him a heightened appreciation of out-door life. Incidentally, he will have accumulated in the easiest possible way a great many facts that he will retain all his life.

The tales should also create a kindlier attitude toward our friends in fur and feathers, as well as instilling some of the stern virtues of the wilderness.

That these tales may be suitable for bedtime reading, no animal hero is ever killed. The big words are explained, and the adventure of each chapter harks back to the preceding in a way to refresh the memory of the reader who only takes time for a chapter an evening.

On the other hand, my readers have thus far included a large proportion of quite grown-up little boys.

ALLEN CHAFFEE.

To HOWARD FOLSOM BROCK whose great heart had in it a corner for even the furred and feathered folk.

INDEX

Chapter Page I. Twinkly Gets a Ducking 1 II. Mother Black Bear to the Rescue 4 III. A Stern Lesson 7 IV. But He Learns It 10 V. Mrs. Porcupine Shows Fight 13 VI. Driven from Their Pond 17 VII. Sink or Swim 20 VIII. Writho, the Black Snake 23 IX. “Whoof! Whoof!” 26 X. The Better Part of Valor 29 XI. A Tip on Thunder-Storms 32 XII. A Wild Mother’s Love 35 XIII. Twinkly Eyes Gets Even 38 XIV. A Different Twinkly Eyes 41 XV. There’s Many a Slip 45 XVI. The Bee Tree 48 XVII. Twinkly Eyes and Trouble 51 XVIII. Twinkly Shows His Mettle 54 XIX. Down But Not Downed 57 XX. Twinkly Applies First Aid 60 XXI. Mammy Cottontail’s Secret 63 XXII. One of Twinkly’s Neighbors 66 XXIII. Introducing Bobby Lynx 69 XXIV. A Bunny Ball 72 XXV. Twinkly Eyes Attends a Frolic 75 XXVI. A Joke On The Little Black Bear 78 XXVII. School For Bunnies 81 XXVIII. A Boy and A Bear 84 XXIX. The Tables Are Turned 87 XXX. A Climbing Match 90 XXXI. The Bear Gets The Best of It 93 XXXII. The Little Bears Go Fishing 96 XXXIII. Twinkly Again Meets The Porcupine 99 XXXIV. A Good Sport 102 XXXV. Bobby Lynx Learns A Lesson 104 XXXVI. Twinkly Watches Again 108 XXXVII. Foxy Counsel 111 XXXVIII. A Jolly World 114 XXXIX. Who Will be Sorriest? 117 XL. Twinkly Eyes Plays Safe 121 XLI. Twinkly Eyes Gets a Great Surprise 124 XLII. Twinkly Eyes Plots Mischief 127 XLIII. Twinkly Teases Unk Wunk 130 XLIV. Twinkly Eyes Gets His 133 XLV. Bobby Lynx Goes Fishing 136 XLVI. A New Acquaintance 139 XLVII. The Hired Man Drops a Match 142 XLVIII. The Forest Aflame 146 XLIX. In the Face of a Common Peril 149 L. While There is Life, There is Hope 153 LI. The Boy from the Valley Farm 156 LII. Twinkly’s Fellow Refugees 160 LIII. A Way for the Squirrel Family 163 LIV. What Happened to Fleet Foot 166 LV. Twinkly Eyes Goes House-Hunting 169 LVI. At the Sugar Camp 173 LVII. A Feast and a Fast 176 LVIII. The First Snow 179 LIX. Twinkly Eyes Goes to Bed 182

THE ADVENTURES OF

Twinkly Eyes

THE LITTLE BLACK BEAR

I TWINKLY GETS A DUCKING

Two such roly-poly babies you never did see!

Mother Black Bear had named them Woof and Twinkly Eyes.—And you never in all your life met two such rollicking black balls of mischief as those two cubs!

Small wonder that Mother Black Bear needed such long black claws, long white teeth, and such a terrifying growl, with two such treasures to protect.

Why, she wouldn’t even let Father Black Bear come near them when they were so young, for fear some time they would plague him too far and make him lose his temper!

As the warm days of July ripened the blueberries along the slopes she used to lead the cubs down Mt. Olaf into the lowlands on berrying expeditions. And my! How they did enjoy these trips! How they stuffed themselves on the luscious fruit, snatching up great pawfuls of it, leaves and all, till their fuzzy sides rounded out like puff balls!

Then, too, there were often the most delicious sour-tasting ants under the logs and boulders that Mother Black Bear turned over for them! Life was one feast, what with the abundant food provided by Mother Black Bear herself and that found everywhere in the woods about them! Those cubs hadn’t a complaint to make!

True, they climbed right over one another in their eagerness to get the best of everything, and they growled little baby growls in imitation of their mother and squealed little piggish squeals of delight. But that was all a part of the game.

When there was nothing to eat in sight—or rather when they were too full to hold any more—they began to yawn and stretch and curl themselves up together like so many sleepy kittens.

Then when they had slept enough there were wrestling matches and boxing bouts and playing pranks on mother,—pulling her ears and clambering over her till she was forced to box their ears.

One lazy afternoon Twinkly was just nodding off to sleep, all curled up in a little fuzzy ball, when Woof came up from behind and gave him a shove. Now, as it happened, Twinkly had been lying at the top of a steep incline that led down to Lone Lake, and he went down that incline like a rubber ball, before ever Mother Black Bear could stop him. Bump—slide—splash!—and he plunged beneath the surface of the icy lake.

[Illustration: [Bears]]

II MOTHER BLACK BEAR TO THE RESCUE

It is so wonderfully snug and comfy to be drowsing off on a warm afternoon, all curled up in a fuzzy little ball. So, at least, thought Twinkly Eyes, Mother Black Bear’s littlest cub.

But what an awful contrast to find oneself rolling down the bank like a rubber ball, till one came, bump, slide, splash, to the icy water!

And then to go down, down, down, gasping for breath and so horribly frightened that one thought the end had come!

It was certainly a terrible experience for the five-months-old cub, when his brother Woof gave him that mischievous shove!

Mother Black Bear was really frightened. Not that she was afraid of Lone Lake—not a good swimmer like Mother Black Bear; and not that she feared being unable to rescue the little fellow. But Mothers are always frightened when anything happens to their babies. Mother Black Bear was no exception.

She was just like any other mother in believing that her babies were the brightest and the handsomest and the most wonderful little creatures that anyone ever had.

So she didn’t even stop to think when she saw Twinkly’s little body rolling down the bank with its legs still wound around its nose. She just slid!—Afterwards there was a long trench where she had slid down that bank on her haunches!

She reached the water the very moment he did, and it wasn’t two seconds before she had plunged into the blue depths and grabbed the struggling youngster by the nape of his neck.

Dragging him straight back up the bank, she spread him out in the sunshine and began licking him dry, while he whimpered and coaxed for sympathy.

“This teaches you a lesson, young man,” she told him, when she had made sure he wasn’t hurt and wasn’t going to catch cold. “Never sleep on the edge of a bank. And Woof, don’t you ever again shove anyone over the bank like that,—not unless it’s someone you never want to see again,” and she gave Woof a good cuff on the ear to help him remember.

“But I’m glad, in one way, that this had to happen. Because it shows that you must learn to swim at once. Life is uncertain at best, in the woods, and you never can tell when you may need to know.”

“Ow! the water is too cold!” squealed Twinkly Eyes, backing away into the brush.

“We’ll go where it isn’t,” said Mother Black Bear firmly. “But we’re going this very afternoon. Come along!”

[Illustration: [Bears]]

III A STERN LESSON

“Oo! I don’t want to learn to swim!” squealed Twinkly Eyes.

“Why don’t you?” asked Mother Black Bear, though she had quite made up her mind to give the cubs a lesson that very afternoon.

When Mother Black Bear had made up her mind to a thing, that was all there was to be said about it, so far as the cubs were considered.

Her word was law. Still, that did not prevent them from complaining at times. It is a certain amount of relief to complain, even when one knows it won’t do any good, isn’t it? At least the two cubs found it so.

“The water’s so-o-o-o cold,” wailed Twinkly Eyes, whose wet fur made him shiver.

“You won’t be cold, once you get to paddling about,” said Mother Black Bear. “Come on, quick! There’s a shallow place farther on where the sun has warmed the water.”

She led the way through the bushes, Woof trotting obediently at her heels. Twinkly tried to run away, but he didn’t get very far. Mother Black Bear quickly found his hiding place.

“Come!” she insisted away down deep in her throat, with that rumbly sound that the cubs knew meant business.

Since the accident she felt it was not safe to let another day go by without making sure that they could at least keep from drowning.

“Come here!” she growled to Twinkly in no uncertain tone. That small imp simply didn’t dare disobey!

Woods babies generally are that way, and it is a lucky thing for them, let me tell you, or no telling what would happen to them!

Puffing and panting as they tumbled after her, the fat cubs soon found their mother seated on her haunches beside a quiet pool, where the sun danced through the leaves till the water seemed all mottled. Tall ferns grew all about them and every now and again a frightened frog would say, “K’dunk!” and go splashing to the bottom of the pond.

[Illustration:

“Twinkly Eyes, are you coming?”

—Page 9 ]

“Now, then, just follow me,” said Mother Black Bear, when they had stared at the water for a moment. She waded off till she stood shoulder deep.

Twinkly braced himself firmly with all four feet and cocked one ear at the depths before him. His unexpected plunge when Woof had rolled him off the bank had shaken his faith in water, even for drinking purposes.

“Come!” commanded Mother Black Bear, and he knew he would have to wade in or get a good boxing. He whimpered, wondering which would be worse. He was a most unhappy little bear cub, for one so roly-poly!

Woof on the other hand, had waded in after his mother, and now—much to his own surprise—found his fat sides floating with just a stroke or two of his broad forepaws.

“Twinkly Eyes, are you coming?” called Mother Black Bear, wading back to where he stood.

“I don’t want to know how to swim,” wept the little black rascal, backing away still farther.

The next instant Mother Black Bear seized him by the scruff of the neck and dropped him straight into the pool!

IV BUT HE LEARNS IT

He had been badly frightened, had Twinkly Eyes, the littlest bear cub, when Woof shoved him into the lake.

But underneath it all he had had a comfortable feeling that Mother Black Bear would somehow come to the rescue. There had never been a time, in all the five months of his existence, when she had not solved his troubles for him.

But now! To have Mother herself drop him in! It was too much! There was no hope anywhere. No one to rescue him! No way ever to get out again unless he found a way himself!

As this fact dawned on him he struck out with his broad fore paws, his nose turned to shore. So vigorous were his efforts that the first thing his untrained little body did was to go down, down, down to the very bottom of the pond.

But he held his breath, because he remembered the time before, when he had swallowed so much water.

Somehow, he scarcely knew just how it happened, he found himself coming up again, safely enough.

“Wuhr! Splurf!” he gasped.

“Good work,” encouraged Mother Black Bear. “You see, you couldn’t drown if you wanted to!”

But already Twinkly Eyes had gone under water again, and this time he made the mistake of losing his nerve and trying to squeal for help. Of course that filled his nose with water, and that frightened him still more, till the first thing he knew, he was flapping about on the bottom of the pond with the most awful feeling he had ever known. His eyes he kept tight closed to keep the water out and not knowing where he had landed made it all the worse.

As an actual fact he hadn’t been under a minute before Mother Black Bear had pulled him out again. But to the five months cub, it seemed an hour. “Help, Help!” he gasped, the minute his nose came above water.

His mother, seeing how terrified he had become, towed him gently to the bank and left him there to shake himself dry in the sun while she finished with his brother Woof.

This fat fellow had been enjoying Twinkly’s struggles as he paddled slowly about the pond, and his little black eyes danced with laughter.

But Twinkly had not given it up. That laughter was more than he could stand. “I’ll get you for that,” he growled in his high-pitched little voice, running around the bank to the point nearest his brother. With one mighty leap he landed fairly on top of Woof.

And Woof? Why, he simply took one deep breath and went under, and Twinkly went under with him. But this time he was too mad to be afraid. He forgot even to shut his eyes. Being able to see how near the bottom of the pond really was did more than you can imagine to give him confidence in himself.

The next thing Mother Black Bear knew, both cubs were swimming with all the zest of small boys.

But her pleasure was short lived. For rattling through the underbrush at that very moment came Mrs. Porcupine with three prickly babies, headed straight for their pond!

V MRS. PORCUPINE SHOWS FIGHT

Yes, sir, Mother Black Bear’s pleasure was short lived. For no sooner had the cubs started off side by side across the pond than there was a curious rattling sound behind her, like the rattling of dry twigs.

She turned her head like a flash. It was Mrs. Porcupine, her quills rattling together as she walked. She was headed straight for the little pond, and Mother Black Bear knew there was going to be trouble.

Not that she would have cared, had she been alone. She would have given it up willingly enough. In fact, had she been alone, she would have preferred a larger pond for her swim.

But Mother Black Bear was not alone. She had fat little Woof and Twinkly Eyes to look out for. And it certainly was too bad, now that they were really making headway with their swimming lesson, to have to give up their pond. Twinkly had at last forgotten to be afraid, but if they had to give up the pond to Mrs. Porcupine, he might lose his nerve again, and all her work would have gone for nothing.

Yet learn to swim he must, before ever another accident befell him. Of this Mother Black Bear felt very certain.

She, therefore, eyed Mrs. Porcupine a bit anxiously; the more so when she spied the three little porcupines creeping along behind her.

Of all the folk that live in the Deep Woods, there is probably none more absolutely fearless than Mrs. Porcupine, and for a very good reason. She knows that nothing can so much as touch her without getting badly hurt on her barbed quills.

Where everyone else darts along the forest trails alert to catch the slightest sight or sound or smell that might mean an enemy, she strolls along with the utmost calm. She knows that no one can touch even her babies without getting hurt. For they are just as full of quills as she is, and their little quills are even sharper.

But if she fears no attack, neither will she harm other animals unless attacked. It is only when they come too near that she strikes at them with her barbed tail.

This afternoon she was headed for the self-same little pond that Mother Black Bear had selected, and for the self-same reason, as we shall see. When she saw Mother Black Bear and the two cubs, she didn’t stop for even an instant. She came right on to the edge of the pond as if there were no one already occupying it. She looked straight past Mother Black Bear as if she hadn’t been there at all, and grunted to her babies to climb on her back.

Mother Black Bear gave a growl. “We got here first,” said she, crossly. But Mrs. Porcupine pretended not to hear. She just went on into the water with her babies on her back—she had flattened down her quills for them—and from all the concern she showed, you would have thought she didn’t know the bears were there. That was her way of showing fight. She hadn’t a doubt in the world that they would give their places to her.

“Come—quick!” Mother Black Bear called to her cubs, losing her nerve as the quilly creature allowed herself to float over on the side the cubs were on. “Quick, I tell you!—Scramble!”

[Illustration: [Bears & porcupine]]

VI DRIVEN FROM THEIR POND

Well it was for Woof and Twinkly Eyes, the fat bear cubs, that they had learned obedience.

For had they not scrambled out of the pond the instant their mother bade them they would have got badly hurt.

Mrs. Porcupine is not a neighbor to be treated with disrespect, as Mother Black Bear knew. Had one of the cubs gone an inch too near her prickly babies, their little tails would have gone slap, slap right in the faces of the cubs, leaving their barbed quills behind them.

That is why, even though Mrs. Black Bear felt she had first right to the swimming pool, she gave it up to Mrs. Porcupine the minute that lady entered the water.

The bear cubs didn’t in the least understand why they should be asked to scramble out of the pond so hastily; but they didn’t stop to ask why. They just scrambled!

Once safely on the bank, Mother Black Bear hurried them to the shelter of the tall ferns and bracken. Here she posted them side by side where they could see the pond.

“Just watch,” she whispered, “and see—what you will see!”

The pair settled themselves on their awkward little haunches, eyes dancing with excitement. They did love a mystery!

Now Mrs. Porcupine is covered thick with quills, and these are as sharp as needles. When she meets an enemy she can make them stand out all over her back till she looks like a giant pincushion. But she can also flatten them down as smooth as a bale of hay.

Just on the edge of the pond, she flattened them all so nicely that the three baby porcupines were able to clamber aboard and sail out into the pond on her back.

“Gee! that must be fun,” thought Woof.

“I’ll bet they fall off,” thought Twinkly Eyes.

Mother Black Bear, who knew just what was going to happen, thought to herself, “I might have tried that myself if only I had thought in time!”

“Unk wunk, unk wunk, unk wunk!” sang Mrs. Porcupine, pulling up the water lily pads and munching the juicy roots.

“Unk wunk, unk wunk,” mimicked the little porcupines, nibbling at the bits she took in her mouth to see what they were like.

Lower and lower swam Mrs. Porcupine, till the babies had to climb higher on her back to keep from getting wet. Mother Black Bear’s eyes fairly twinkled at what was about to happen.

Lower still sank the living raft, till it was half under. The babies didn’t mind, once the surprise of getting wet was over. But the raft was sinking lower still. Now Mrs. Porcupine just had her nose out.

Then—suddenly—she dived clear under!

[Illustration: [Porcupine]]

VII SINK OR SWIM

“Ooh! They’ll drown!” squealed Twinkly Eyes, as Mrs. Porcupine went under water with her babies on her back.

But they didn’t!

It had come so gradually, for one thing, that they weren’t the least bit frightened. Mrs. Porcupine has simply flattened her quills down smooth and taken them on her back while she swam out for lily pads. They had nibbled the pads and thought they were having the finest kind of ride.

As Mrs. Porcupine went deeper into the water and the babies got their feet wet, they scarcely noticed, so warm was the water in the little pond and so sure were they that Mother was right there.

When she sank till they were all half under, they only thought it fun. They had no idea of what was going to happen before they reached dry land again. Had they known what was going to happen, they would have been dreadfully frightened. In fact, they wouldn’t have ventured out at all, even on their mother’s back.

It is often that way with people. If they knew just what was going to happen next, they would lose their nerve entirely. Yet generally when it does happen, it isn’t nearly so bad as they feared. Sometimes it isn’t bad at all.

If the baby porcupines had had any idea that their mother was going to dive clear under water with them, they never in this world would have ventured one foot from shore. But that was one of the things Mrs. Porcupine kept to herself. She was very good at keeping things to herself, was Mrs. Porcupine, and it saved her a lot of trouble.

At any rate, from being in the warm pond water with their feet safely planted on Mother’s back, the babies suddenly found themselves in the water with nothing under their feet but water, and Mother coming up away on the other side of the pond.

The two cubs, watching from the bracken, smiled from ear to ear, their little black eyes dancing with enjoyment.

“Come!” said Mrs. Porcupine, swimming about just out of reach. And the three baby porcupines simply had to strike out for themselves.

To their own very great surprise they found that their hollow quills floated them beautifully. In fact, it is easier for a porcupine to swim than it is for almost any other animal.

“What do you think of that?” Mother Black Bear asked her cubs.

“Pretty slick,” said Woof.