I approached my bicycle, earnestly hoping that the bear had been
attempting to ride it, but I found that he had been trying to do
something very different. He had torn the pneumatic tire from one of
the wheels, and nearly the whole of it was lying scattered about in
little bits upon the ground.
"How did this happen?" I said to the Italian, feeling very much
inclined to give him a dollar for the good offices of the beast.
The man began immediately to pour out an explanation upon me. His
English was as badly broken as the torn parts of my tire, but I had no
trouble in understanding. The bear had got loose in the night. He had
pulled up a little post to which he had been chained. The man had not
known it was such a weak post. The bear was never muzzled at night. He
had gone about looking for something to eat. He was very fond of
India-rubber--or, as the man called it, "Injer-rub." He always ate up
India-rubber shoes wherever he could find them. He would eat them off
a man's feet if the man should be asleep. He liked the taste of
Injer-rub. He did not swallow it. He dropped it all about in little
bits.
Then the man sprang towards me and seized the injured wheel. "See!" he
exclaimed. "He eat your Injer-rub, but he no break your machine!"
This was very true. The wheel did not seem to be injured, but still I
could not travel without a tire. This was the most satisfactory
feature of the affair. If he and I had been alone together I would
have handed the man two dollars, and told him to go in peace with his
bear and give himself no more trouble.
But we were not alone. The stable-man who had lied to me about the
fishing was there; the boy who had lied to me about the reception of
cyclers was there; the lemon-faced woman was there, standing close to
Mrs. Chester; and there were two maids looking out of the window of
the kitchen.
"This is very bad indeed!" said Mrs. Chester, addressing the Italian.
"You have damaged this gentleman's wheel, and you must pay him for
it."
Now the Italian began to tear his hair. Never before had I seen any
one tear his hair. More than that, he shed tears, and declared he had
no money. After he had paid his bill he would not have a cent in the
world. His bear had ruined him. He was in despair.
"What are you going to do?" said Mrs. Chester to me. "You cannot use
your bicycle."
Before I could answer, the elderly woman exclaimed: "You ought to come
in, Mrs. Chester! This is no place for you! Suppose that beast should
break loose again! Let the gentleman settle it with the man."