“Yes, ‘we pushed him in,’” said Balser, in derision. “Liney, did you—” “Yes,” answered Liney. “I don’t know how I did it; but after I had put my torch in the bear’s face, when he was over you, I—I pushed him into the river.” And she cast down her sweet, modest eyes, as if ashamed of what she had done. “Liney, Liney—” began Balser; but his voice was choked by a great lump of sobs in his throat. “Liney, Liney—” he began again; but his gratitude was so great he could not speak. He tried again, and the tears came in a flood. “Cry-baby!” said Jim. “Jim, you’re a little fool,” said Liney, turning upon the youngster with a blaze of anger in her eyes. “Jim’s right,” sobbed Balser. “I—I am a c-c-cry-baby.” “No, no! Balser,” said Liney, soothingly, as she took his hand. “I know. I understand without you telling me.” “Yes,” sobbed Balser, “I—I—c-c-cry—because—I—thank you so much.” “Don’t say that, Balser,” answered Liney. “Think of the night in the forest, and think of what you did for me.” “Oh! But I’m a boy.” Balser was badly bruised, but was not wounded, except in the foot where the bear had caught him as he climbed the tree. That wound, however, was slight, and would heal quickly. The cubs had broken away from the loaded wagon, and Jim, Liney, Balser, dogs, and cubs all marched back to Mr. Brent’s in a slow and silent procession, leaving the load of nuts upon the path, and the bear dead upon a ripple in the river. CHAPTER VII. THE FIRE BEAR. One evening in December, a few weeks after Liney had saved Balser’s life by means of the borrowed fire, Balser’s father and mother and Mr. and Mrs. Fox, went to Marion, a town of two houses and a church, three miles away, to attend “Protracted Meeting.” Liney and Tom and the Fox baby remained with Balser and Jim and the Brent baby, at the Brent cabin. When the children were alone Liney proceeded to put the babies to sleep, and when those small heads of their respective households were dead to the world in slumber, rocked to that happy condition in a cradle made from the half of a round, smooth log, hollowed out with an adze, the other children huddled together in the fireplace to talk and to play games. Chief among the games was that never failing source of delight, “Simon says thumbs up.”