"I'll make our goat buck the bear with his horns if he chases us,
that's what I'll do!" declared Ted.
"Oh, that would be good!" exclaimed Jan in delight. "Nicknack is brave
and his horns are sharp. 'Member how he stuck 'em in the fence one
day?"
"Yes," answered Ted, "I do. And I'll get him to stick 'em in the bear
if he comes too close. Giddap, Nicknack!" and Ted flicked the goat
with the ends of the reins. I think he wanted the goat to go faster so
there would be no danger of the bear's chasing after him and his
sister. Perhaps Ted thought Nicknack might be afraid of the bear, even
if the goat did have sharp horns.
The Curlytops were greatly excited when they reached the camp. Trouble
was playing out in front and Grandpa Martin had just landed in the
boat.
"What's that?" he cried, when he heard Ted's story. "A bear in a
hollow log? Nonsense! There are no bears on Star Island."
"But I saw it, and so did Janet. Didn't you, Jan?" cried Ted. "I saw
something fuzzy with a big tail going inside the log," answered
Teddy's sister.
"Then it couldn't have been a bear," laughed Grandpa Martin. "For a
bear has only a little short, stubby tail. I'll go to see what it is.
I think I know, however." "What?" asked Mother Martin. "Don't go into
any danger, Father."
"I won't," promised the farmer. "But I won't tell you what I think the
animal is until I see it.
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