The Papa Bear then told the owl what he had been thinking about.
The owl said very wisely, "I am sure that the stuff will knock down the rocks, for I have seen miners use it, and it makes the rocks fly so that they have to run a great way off, to keep from getting hurt. I think if you could get some of the stuff, you would find you could soon get into the beautiful cave that we all want to see."
The Papa Bear asked the elephant if he was willing to go with the little Cub Bear to find the box. The elephant Jumbo said that he would be glad to go, because the animals had all been so good to him in the circus.
Jumbo got down on his knees, and the little Cub Bear climbed up on his back, and away they went to find the box that had in it such wonderful stuff. They went a long, long way, and finally the little Cub Bear saw the box and pointed it out to Jumbo, who carefully picked it up with his trunk and with his tusks, just as he had the bales of hay, and carried it back toward the den. When they were coming back, what do you suppose they saw?
The funniest little animal that the little Cub Bear had ever seen. It was nearly as big as a pig, but it looked like a great mouse. Its front legs were very short, like small arms, while its hind legs were very long. Its tail was as large around as a man's arm. And then it had a pocket, only the pocket was in front, as the animal stood up, instead of on the sides as boys' pockets are. And what in the world do you suppose was in this pocket? Another little baby animal just like the big one. All you could see of the little fellow was his head peering out of the pocket.
As they stopped to watch the animals, the little fellow hopped out of the pocket, and took two little hops, and then when he saw the elephant, scampered back as fast as he could. The elephant told the little Cub Bear that this animal was the greatest jumper in the whole world. And while the elephant was telling this to the little Cub Bear, the animal saw the elephant, and was so glad to see his old friend Jumbo, that with two great jumps it reached Jumbo, and with the third, jumped clear over the elephant, bear and all.
Jumbo said, "How do you do, Madam Kangaroo and the little baby kangaroo?"
And the kangaroo said, "Very well, thank you."
Jumbo then told the kangaroo where they were going and what they were going to do.
Madam Kangaroo said, "It is very fortunate that you found me, for when you drop a rock on the stuff to make it go off, you will want some one that can jump out of the way quicker than scat, and no one can jump as well or as fast as I can."