Now Toodle had been told never to believe what a bear—even a baby bear—said, or to go with one of them. But he was thinking so much about roller skates that he couldn't think of anything else. And so he forgot to be careful.
"Just come along to the den where I live," said the baby bear, "and maybe I'll get you some roller skates."
Toodle felt very happy to hear this, and walked along through the woods at the side of the brown baby bear. Pretty soon they came to the bear's den. At first Toodle was a little afraid when he saw the papa and mamma bear, but the baby bear waved his paws at them, and cried out:
"I've brought a nice fat beaver boy home with me. He wants some roller skates. I told him maybe he could have your old ones, papa, for you're going to take a long sleep."
"That's right," said Mr. Bear. "That's right."
Toodle thought it was funny for the baby bear to speak about how he had brought a fat beaver boy home.
"I wonder why he said I was fat," thought Toodle. Oh, if he had only known how bears like fat beavers just before they take a long winter sleep! Oh my, but just wait and see what happens.
"I'll go in and get the skates," said Mr. Bear. Then he said to his wife: "You stay out here with this nice fat beaver boy. Oh, isn't he fat!"
"I wonder why they're so glad I'm fat?" thought Toodle.
Well he sat down on his tail outside the bear's stone cave and waited. Mr. Bear and the little baby bear went inside.