Between friend and friend there is no parting
More than the fingers of a hand."
This time the little bear really sang, trilling the clicks to a tune like the roll of a mockingbird's song. Johnny felt very strange. He patted Baba on the head and then stood up.
"I think I understand," he said, and looked out over the surrounding countryside, thinking about the little antelope he had just held in his hands.
"I'm hungry," the little bear clicked. With a jump and a bounce he started for the stunted diamond-wood tree.
"Baba," Johnny called. The little bear bounced back. "Aren't there plenty of those nuts here for you to live on? I mean, enough to feed you regularly if you lived here all the time?"
The little bear nodded yes, but frowned.
"I want to live with you, Johnny," he clicked.
"I know, Baba. But you're in danger. I hoped that if I could show you I'd be able to visit you, maybe you'd stay."
At the unhappiness on the little bear's face, Johnny hurried on. "Look, Baba, I can't make you stay here. But somebody's going to find out about your nails if you stay with me. If you live here, I could come up and visit you when the nights come, and if we were lucky, I could see you most every wake-time down by the rocks...." Johnny's voice trailed off. Baba was looking unhappier and unhappier.