Early in the evening old Grizzly came. He had followed Bushy Tail from
California.
"What a beautiful bear!" said Susan.
"He looks kind," said Bunny.
Old Grizzly read the sign. He did not pass by as the other animals had done. He went straight up to the front door and knocked.
"Perhaps he can't read," said Bunny, so he shouted, "Scarlet Fever here!"
Old Grizzly nodded his head. He said he had had scarlet fever three times, and he was not afraid to have it again.
So they opened the door and let old Grizzly in. Then they all had a jolly time, and Bunny told why he put up the sign on the house.
"You may have a new kind of scarlet fever," said Old Grizzly, "maybe I shall catch it!" and they all laughed.
Old Grizzly had been in a circus, and had traveled in the East and in the West. He could tell lovely stories, so he stayed a long time and told stories, and Susan Cotton-Tail went out in the kitchen and came back with a mince pie in each hand. (These pies had been hidden away in a tin.)
They all enjoyed the pies, and then Bunny asked old Grizzly to spend the night with them. Old Grizzly said, "No, thank you." The house next door was vacant and he was going to live there.