But the little white rat was trembling so that he couldn't say a thing.
And the Cub Bear said, "I am very glad I am not a little rat, to be
eaten up by a wicked old owl."
But the Circus Bear said, "You know that owls eat rats, and mice, and
little birds, and things of that kind; but this owl is a very good,
kind owl, and I am surprised that he would harm one of the white rats
from the circus; but I guess he is very hungry, because he has been
sitting up there a long while with nothing to eat."
Then the Cub Bear said, "We are going to try to build a house big
enough for all the animals, so if they come to see us, we will have a
place for them to stay. We think there is a large cave, large enough
for us all, back of this cave, but we don't know. Can you help us?"
Then the muskrat said, "I should be very glad to help you if I can,
because your brother was very good to me when we were in the circus."