"Were this in winter?" asked Dick.
"It were in winter."
"Th' bears as I knows don't travel in winter. They sleeps then, leastways all but white bears."
"Well, this were in winter an' this bear weren't sleepin' much. As I was sayin'——"
"An' he took after ye without bein' provoked?"
"An' he did an' right smart."
"Well he were a queer bear—a queer un—th' queerest I ever hear tell about. Awake in winter an' takin' after folks without bein' provoked. 'Tis th' first black bear I ever heard tell about that done that. I knows bears pretty well an' they alus takes tother way about as fast as their legs 'll carry un."
"Now, if you wants me t' tell about this bear ye'll ha' t' stop interruptin'."
"No one said as they wanted ye to."
"Now I'm goin' t' tell un whatever."