“Fo’ de Lawd’s sake! Fo’ de Lawd’s sake!”
The voice died away, and was succeeded by a commotion in the bushes just ahead of the running boy.
The next moment a little short, fat, dumpy negro with a fringe of gray hair running around an otherwise bald head, came into view, trying to run very fast, but succeeding only in stumbling over every obstruction which came in his way, and landing flat on his back with his heels high up in the air. The sight was indeed a comical one.
“Fo’ de Lawd’s sake! Fo’ de Lawd’s sake!” repeated the negro, his eyes rolling in his head like great white marbles.
Teddy, evidently unconscious of the sensation he was creating, came dashing after the fallen darkey, and at once assumed a boxing attitude.
“Take him away! Take him away!” roared the negro. “Ah’s done bein’ eat up! Take de b’ar away, take him away!”
Instead of taking the bear away, Alex, hungry and tired as he was, threw himself down on the grass and roared with laughter.
“Ah’s done bein’ eat up!” shouted the negro although Teddy was at least two yards away.
“He won’t hurt you,” Alex said as soon as he could control his voice. “Teddy is a tame bear.”
“Ah never did take to bears!” the negro shouted rolling his fat body farther away. “Ah don’ see no good in b’ars.”