"Grey, Zane - Betty Zane" - читать интересную книгу автора (Grey Zane)

"Oh, yes, indeed. I have a bear, six squirrels, one of them white, and some
pigeons."

Betty led the way to an enclosure adjoining Colonel Zane's barn. It was about
twenty feet square, made of pine saplings which had been split and driven
firmly into the ground. As Betty took down a bar and opened the small gate a
number of white pigeons fluttered down from the roof of the barn, several of
them alighting on her shoulders. A half-grown black bear came out of a kennel
and shuffled toward her. He was unmistakably glad to see her, but he avoided
going near Tige, and looked doubtfully at the young man. But after Alfred had
stroked his head and had spoken to him he seemed disposed to be friendly, for
he sniffed around Alfred's knees and then stood up and put his paws against
the young man's shoulders.

"Here, Caesar, get down," said Betty. "He always wants to wrestle, especially
with anyone of whom he is not suspicious. He is very tame and will do almost
anything. Indeed, you would marvel at his intelligence. He never forgets an
injury. If anyone plays a trick on him you may be sure that person will not
get a second opportunity. The night we caught him Tige chased him up a tree
and Jonathan climbed the tree and lassoed him. Ever since he has evinced a
hatred of Jonathan, and if I should leave Tige alone with him there would be a
terrible fight. But for that I could allow Caesar to run free about the yard."

"He looks bright and sagacious," remarked Alfred.

"He is, but sometimes he gets into mischief. I nearly died laughing one day.
Bessie, my brother's wife, you know, had the big kettle on the fire, just as
you saw it a moment ago, only this time she was boiling down maple syrup. Tige
was out with some of the men and I let Caesar loose awhile. If there is
anything he loves it is maple sugar, so when he smelled the syrup he pulled
down the kettle and the hot syrup went all over his nose. Oh, his howls were
dreadful to hear. The funniest part about it was he seemed to think it was
intentional, for he remained sulky and cross with me for two weeks."

"I can understand your love for animals," said Alfred. "I think there are many
interesting things about wild creatures. There are comparatively few animals
down in Virginia where I used to live, and my opportunities to study them have
been limited."

"Here are my squirrels," said Betty, unfastening the door of a cage. A number
of squirrels ran out. Several jumped to the ground. One perched on top of the
box. Another sprang on Betty's shoulder. "I fasten them up every night, for
I'm afraid the weasels and foxes will get them. The white squirrel is the only
albino we have seen around here. It took Jonathan weeks to trap him, but once
captured he soon grew tame. Is he not pretty?"

"He certainly is. I never saw one before; in fact, I did not know such a
beautiful little animal existed," answered Alfred, looking in admiration at
the graceful creature, as he leaped from the shelf to Betty's arm and ate from