“It’s on a chain. There are two men with it,” said Harriet somewhat unsteadily.
Miss Elting stepped forward to obtain a better view of the two men. She saw the swarthy faces of two Italians. One was leading the bear by a chain, the other carried a long pole. The animal was a huge, ambling, cinnamon bear. He wore a muzzle, and the sight of this gave the woman and the two girls a greater sense of security.
“What do you wish here?” demanded the guardian.
“We maka da bear dance,” said the man, with the pole, touching his hat politely. “You giva mea twent-five cent I maka da bear dance.”
“We do not wish to see the bear dance. You will please go away, or I shall call for assistance to drive you off,” returned Miss Elting boldly.
“Oh, let the bear dance. It would be great fun,” urged Hazel.
“Twent-five cent to maka da bear dance.”
At this juncture Margery came timidly out of the tent. Tommy, white-faced, ready to run at the slightest sign of alarm, crept out after her.
“Will—will he bite?” stammered Margery.
“He will hurt his teeth on the muzzle if he does,” answered Harriet Burrell laughingly.