And Dido did, though he did not know he was catching fish for his masters. He thought they would all be for him. But Dido pulled out of the brook more fish than he really needed, and Tom and George built a fire and cooked some for themselves. Dido did not bother about a fire. He was afraid of a blaze, as all animals are.
After their breakfast in the woods, Dido and his masters marched on again. Whenever they came to a village Tom would blow on the brass horn, and Dido would dance around, turn somersaults, march like a soldier and climb a tree or telegraph pole. The people liked to see this last more than anything else, and Dido liked to climb, for he was used to that. He really liked it better than turning somersaults, for much dust got in his thick fur when he got down and rolled over on the ground.
Dido was a clean bear, and whenever he became dusty and dirty he wanted a bath. And whenever they came to a lake or stream of water Dido was allowed to go in, and splash about as much as he pleased.
One hot afternoon Dido was asleep in the woods with the two men. They had performed the tricks in one village, and were going on to another, taking a rest in between.
Once again Dido awakened to find his two masters asleep, but this time the chain was still fast to a tree, so Dido could not wander very far. He got up and walked about, and, as he did so he heard, off through the woods, the barking of a dog, and then a scream.
[Just as the dog was going to jump Dido stepped in between them.]
All at once Dido saw a girl running along the path in the woods, and behind the girl came a big black dog, barking angrily, and trying to catch the girl.