"But won't the men catch you?" asked Little Bear.

"Oh, no," answered Mother Skunk, "They will not
touch us. You follow me. Come, children."

On walked Mother Skunk, slowly and comfortably,
with Little Bear and her six pretty children following
one behind another, as she had told them to do.

When the man who was fishing saw Mother Skunk walking by
with her children and Little Bear, he sat still as a
mouse. All he did was wink. The man by the fire stopped
cleaning his gun when he saw Mother Skunk walking by
with her children and Little Bear, and he, too, sat
still as a mouse.

All he did was wink. "Now, Little Bear," said Mother
Skunk, when they had gone a few steps more, "The
children and I will [Illustration: On walked Mother
Skunk] stay here a while and catch beetles, but you must
run along home. The men will not trouble you while we
are in their path, never fear!" "I thank you, Mother
Skunk!" Little Bear called over his shoulder, as he pit-
patted for home as fast as he could travel. And when he
reached home, he told what had happened to him and
walked up and down in front of the fireplace to show
Father Bear and Mother Bear how Mother Skunk had walked
past the two big men, as if she were not afraid of
anyone in the woods. And how the Three Bears laughed!