"Simon," the master commanded at last, "read the lesson!"
"I-see," began Simon, "I-see-a-" Then he looked up, but instead of saying "cat," as the primer said, Simon, with eyes as large and round as saucers, dropped his book and cried, "Bear! I see a bear!"
Sure enough, he did. So did all the children. So did the master, because Little Bear was right up in the window, trying to tell Simon the word "cat"!
Down the hill ran Little Bear as fast as he could go, and scrambled on board the raft. Father Bear and Mother Bear used their poles and quickly pushed the raft into the middle of the stream, and away went all three of them, laughing. But Little Bear did not wish to visit school again that day-or that summer.
One morning, when the Three Bears were floating downstream on their raft, they saw a farmhouse in the distance.
"Perhaps we shall never be so near a farmhouse again," said Mother Bear to Father Bear, "so I think we should buy some eggs of the farmer's wife."
"Do be sensible!" exclaimed Father Bear. "Remember that we have no money and that farmers do not love bears."
"That does not matter," said Mother Bear gently. "To-night, when we build our camp fire for the evening, we must have hens' eggs to roast for supper, and how can we have hens' eggs unless we buy them at the farmhouse?"
Father Bear made no answer, but pushed the raft against the bank and tied it to the willows with a rope of wild grapevine. He knew that Mother Bear would have her way, so he wasted no time trying to argue about the matter. "Now, then!" was all Father Bear said after that, as he sat in his huge chair and folded his arms to watch the fun.
'"Now, then,' is what I say, too," added Mother Bear, laughing. "Honey Cub," she said to Little Bear, who was wondering what would happen next, "jump off the raft and bring me many long, slim leaves of the cat-tails growing over there, and I will weave two baskets, one for the money, one for the eggs."