It was a pleasant place to wander, and the two travelers wereproceeding at a brisk pace when suddenly a voice shouted, "Halt!"

They looked around in surprise, seeing at first no one at all. Thenfrom behind a tree there stepped a brown, fuzzy bear whose head cameabout as high as Cayke's waist--and Cayke was a small woman. The bearwas chubby as well as fuzzy; his body was even puffy, while his legsand arms seemed jointed at the knees and elbows and fastened to hisbody by pins or rivets. His ears were round in shape and stuck out ina comical way, while his round, black eyes were bright and sparklingas beads. Over his shoulder the little brown bear bore a gun with atin barrel. The barrel had a cork in the end of it, and a string wasattached to the cork and to the handle of the gun. Both the Frogmanand Cayke gazed hard at this curious bear, standing silent for sometime. But finally the Frogman recovered from his surprise andremarked, "It seems to me that you are stuffed with sawdust and oughtnot to be alive."

"That's all you know about it," answered the little Brown Bear in asqueaky voice. "I am stuffed with a very good quality of curled hair,and my skin is the best plush that was ever made. As for my beingalive, that is my own affair and cannot concern you at all, exceptthat it gives me the privilege to say you are my prisoners."

"Prisoners! Why do you speak such nonsense?" the Frogmanangrily. "Do you think we are afraid of a toy bear with a toy gun?"

"You ought to be," was the confident reply, "for I am merely thesentry guarding the way to Bear Center, which is a city containinghundreds of my race, who are ruled by a very powerful sorcerer knownas the Lavender Bear. He ought to be a purple color, you know, seeinghe is a King, but he's only light lavender, which is, of course,second cousin to royal purple. So unless you come with me peaceablyas my prisoners, I shall fire my gun and bring a hundred bears of allsizes and colors to capture you."

"Why do you wish to capture us?" inquired the Frogman, who hadlistened to his speech with much astonishment.

"I don't wish to, as a matter of fact," replied the little Brown Bear,"but it is my duty to, because you are now trespassing on the domainof His Majesty, the King of Bear Center. Also, I will admit thatthings are rather quiet in our city just now, and the excitement ofyour capture, followed by your trial and execution, should afford usmuch entertainment."

"We defy you!" said the Frogman.

"Oh no, don't do that," pleaded Cayke, speaking to her companion. "Hesays his King is a sorcerer, so perhaps it is he or one of his bearswho ventured to steal my jeweled dishpan. Let us go to the City ofthe Bears and discover if my dishpan is there."

"I must now register one more charge against you," remarked the littleBrown Bear with evident satisfaction. "You have just accused us ofstealing, and that is such a dreadful thing to say that I am quitesure our noble King will command you to be executed."

"But how could you execute us?" inquired the Cookie Cook.

"I've no idea. But our King is a wonderful inventor, and there is nodoubt he can find a proper way to destroy you. So tell me, are yougoing to struggle, or will you go peaceably to meet your doom?"

It was all so ridiculous that Cayke laughed aloud, and even theFrogman's wide mouth curled in a smile. Neither was a bit afraid togo to the Bear City, and it seemed to both that there was apossibility they might discover the missing dishpan. So the Frogmansaid, "Lead the way, little Bear, and we will follow without astruggle."

"That's very sensible of you, very sensible indeed," declared theBrown Bear. "So for-ward, MARCH!" And with the command he turnedaround and began to waddle along a path that led between the trees.

Cayke and the Frogman, as they followed their conductor, could scarceforbear laughing at his stiff, awkward manner of walking, and althoughhe moved his stuffy legs fast, his steps were so short that they hadto go slowly in order not to run into him. But after a time theyreached a large, circular space in the center of the forest, which wasclear of any stumps or underbrush. The ground was covered by a soft,gray moss, pleasant to tread upon. All the trees surrounding thisspace seemed to be hollow and had round holes in their trunks, set alittle way above the ground, but otherwise there was nothing unusualabout the place and nothing, in the opinion of the prisoners, toindicate a settlement. But the little Brown Bear said in a proud andimpressive voice (although it still squeaked), "This is the wonderfulcity known to fame as Bear Center!"

"But there are no houses, there are no bears living here at all!"exclaimed Cayke.

"Oh indeed!" retorted their captor, and raising his gun he pulled thetrigger. The cork flew out of the tin barrel with a loud "pop!" andat once from every hole in every tree within view of the clearingappeared the head of a bear. They were of many colors and of manysizes, but all were made in the same manner as the bear who had metand captured them.

At first a chorus of growls arose, and then a sharp voice cried, "Whathas happened, Corporal Waddle?"

"Captives, Your Majesty!" answered the Brown Bear. "Intruders uponour domain and slanderers of our good name."

"Ah, that's important," answered the voice.

Then from out the hollow trees tumbled a whole regiment of stuffedbears, some carrying tin swords, some popguns and others long spearswith gay ribbons tied to the handles. There were hundreds of them,altogether, and they quietly formed a circle around the Frogman andthe Cookie Cook, but kept at a distance and left a large space for theprisoners to stand in. Presently, this circle parted, and into thecenter of it stalked a huge toy bear of a lovely lavender color. Hewalked upon his hind legs, as did all the others, and on his head hewore a tin crown set with diamonds and amethysts, while in one paw hecarried a short wand of some glittering metal that resembled silverbut wasn't.

"His Majesty the King!" Corporal Waddle, and all the bearsbowed low. Some bowed so low that they lost their balance and toppledover, but they soon scrambled up again, and the Lavender King squattedon his haunches before the prisoners and gazed at them steadily withhis bright, pink eyes.