The next night the mouse went in again. The merchants were asleep.
The mouse gnawed at the ribbon till it gave way, and the stone fell.
Then he rolled the stone out under the door.
The monkey took it and carried it down to the water.
"How shall we get out to the box?" asked the monkey.
"I will tell you," said the bear. "Sit on my back and hold fast. Carry the stone in your mouth. The mouse will sit in my right ear, and I will swim out to the box."
They did as the bear said, and were soon out in the water. No one said anything, and it was very still. The bear wanted to talk.
"How are you, Monkey?" he asked.
The monkey said nothing.
"Why don't you talk to me?" asked the bear.