Balser scolded the cubs roundly, and told them he had taught them better than to swear, even in bear talk. He then switched them for having liberated the wolves, and went back to supper.
The switching quieted the bears for a short time, but soon their spirit of mischief again asserted itself.
After another period of suspicious silence on the part of the cubs, Jim put a general inquiry to the company:—
“What do you s’pose they’re up to this time?”
“Goodness only knows,” responded Balser. “But if I hear another grunt out of them, I’ll take a stick to them that’ll hurt, and off they’ll go to their pen for the night.”
The settlers frequently caught swarms of bees in the woods, and Balser’s father had several hives near the house. These hives were called “gums,” because they were made from sections of a hollow gum tree, that being the best wood for the home of the bees. These hollow gums were placed on end upon small slanting platforms, and were covered with clapboards, which were held tightly in their places by heavy stones. There was a small hole, perhaps as large as the end of your finger, cut in the wood at the base, through which the bees entered, and upon the inside of the hive they constructed their comb and stored their honey.
I told you once before how bears delight to eat fish and blackberries. They are also very fond of honey. In fact, bears seem to have a general appetite and enjoy everything, from boys to blackberries.
Hardly had Balser spoken his threat when another duet of howls and yelps reached his ears.
“Now what on earth is it?” he asked, and immediately started around the house in the direction whence the howls had come.
“Geminy! I believe they’ve upset the bee-gum,” said Jim.