“Now we will walk down the road to your home,” said George to the little girl. “Then you will not be afraid of the dog.”
But when they went out in the country road the peddler’s wagon was gone, and the dog was not in sight.
“There’s my house,” said the little girl, pointing to a white one down the highway.
Just then a woman came to the door of the house, and, looking down the road, she saw her little girl walking with two men and a bear.
“Oh, my goodness, Rose! What are you doing?” cried the woman, who was the mother of Rose. “Where have you been? And what is that terrible bear doing?”
“He isn’t a terrible bear at all, Mamma,” answered Rose, laughing. “He is a good trick bear, and he saved me from the bad dog.” And she told about what had happened.
“Well, if it’s a tame, trick bear, why I suppose that is different,” said the woman. “I’m much obliged to you,” she added to the men, “for having your bear save my little girl from the peddler’s dog.”
“Dido did it all himself,” said George. “We were asleep when your Rose came running along with the dog after her. Dido knocked him out of the way.”
“He must be a good bear,” said Rose’s mother.
“He is!” cried the little girl. “You ought to see him do tricks, Mamma! Will you let your bear do some tricks for my mother?” she asked.