"Why so, Massa Jack?"
"Because the dinotheriurn was a fearful beast. It was about twenty feet long, lived in the water, and ate all sorts of weeds."
"How long you say he was?"
"About twenty feet."
"He must eat a pow'ful sight ob weeds, den. Wish I had one."
"What for?"
"Cause mah garden am jest oberrun wid weeds. If I had one ob dem dinnasorriouses—"
"Dinotheriums," corrected Jack.
"Dat's what I said," observed Washington with dignity. "If I had one ob dem, I wouldn't hab t' weed mah garden. Where am one to be possessed ob, Massa Jack?"
"I guess you were born a few million years too late," was the lad's answer. "They lived a few centuries before the flood."