CHAPTER X.
The cold little nose of an animal it seemed; for it was followed by the lapping of a warm little tongue, and the cuddling of a muffy, furry little body against Laura. Still Kathie slept soundly, and Laura was too frightened to waken her. Every moment she expected to hear a growl, and have an angry bite from a set of savage teeth; but no bite or growl coming, and the cuddling of the little creature seeming to be kindly, she became less fearful, and her heart stopped its hurried beating.
"Kathie!" she whispered—"Kathie!" But Kathie slept, and would not waken.
"KATHIE GAZED AT LAURA, SLEEPING WITH ONE HAND ON THE NECK OF A YOUNG BEAR CUB."
An owl hooted dismally, and Laura shivered, which only made the little furry creature crowd nearer, as if for protection. She put out her hand and felt of the soft warm fur; again the warm tongue touched her hand, and reminded her of her spaniel Fido. She patted the head, wondering if it were a dog. Fido she knew it could not be, for his head was smaller, and he was every way more slender than this strange creature. As her fears abated, and she became more reconciled to the presence of this new-comer, she became drowsy again, and before long fell as soundly asleep as was Kathie; and when morning came, with its bird-calls and tender flush of dawn, Kathie was the first to waken; and she gazed with astonishment, not unmixed with fear, at Laura, sleeping with one hand resting on the neck of a young bear cub.
Kathie had witnessed such strange and novel things in Laura's company that she began to think Laura too was a fairy, and had something in common with all the inhabitants of the woods; but so lovely was she in Kathie's eyes, and so welcome had been her kindness and gentle sympathy, that Kathie was disposed to think all that was good of Laura, and that if she were a fairy, she was a very charming one. When Laura aroused, however, her start of surprise and look of wonder at the little animal beside her, and then her dimly remembered experience of the night coming to her recollection taking off the edge of her fear, showed Kathie that she was quite as much a human child as herself.
The little bear had snuggled himself so close beside Laura that she could not move without disturbing him. As yet he showed no signs of waking; his eyes were tightly shut, and he was almost a ball in shape.
"It's a real baby bear, Kathie. Where do you suppose he came from?"