"Yes, indeed, Hugh," said Jack, "of course we want to kill them."
"Hide's no good now," said Hugh, "they're in summer coat, and all sunburned, and the winter coat isn't started."
"Oh, Hugh," said Jack, "you don't mean you want to let those bears go. Why look how they've torn our sheep to pieces. Why they ought to be killed for that, if for nothing else."
"Well, well, well," said Hugh, smiling, "you are an unreasonable creature. Do you expect if you leave meat out on the mountain that bears, or wolves, or Indians, or white people either, are going to pass it by and not use it? How do you suppose those bears knew that you were coming back?"
Jack saw that Hugh was making fun of him, and said, "Well, how shall we take them, Hugh?"
"Fix it any way you like. Suppose you take the old bear and Joe the cub; and I won't fire until I have to."
"All right," said Jack, "but wouldn't you rather fire? I've had some hunting, and so has Joe since we've been out, and you haven't had a shot. Wouldn't you like to kill the old bear?"
Hugh laughed again, as he said, "No, I'll give that up to you. You take the old one, and Joe'll take the young one; but I tell you, the young one's hide is better than the old one's."
"Oh, I don't care about that," said Jack. "What do you say, Joe, does that suit you?"
"Yes," said Joe, "it suits me all right."