Koku showed his teeth at that, and stalked away. He liked to exercise authority about the house and the shops; but Rad had been here long before Koku, and he would not endure any usurpation in the control of even small things. When there was no subject of controversy between them, however, the two were very good friends. The giant often shouldered burdens for Rad and said nothing about it. And he never took one of his wild jaunts through the countryside about Shopton that he did not bring back to Rad some treasure, or present—often of a laughter-provoking nature. Both Rad and Koku loved to go fishing at Lake Carlopa, and two mornings later they stole away after breakfast with tackle and bait for the near shore of the lake. They went to a favorite strip of low bank, hidden by hazel brush from observation except from the open lake, and cast for white perch which were known to be plentiful at this spot. At first the perch were shy and Koku began to mutter charms to entice them. “Hey! Yo’ call dat Voodoo talk?” grumbled Rad, who was religious himself and did not approve of “no heathen jabber.” “Yo’ stop dat, Koku! De good Lawd’ll send some kind of a big fish—a eel, mebbe—an’ tangle you all up an’ swaller yo’ alibe. Huh! I got a bite. See dere, big man. I’s got it! Not you, you ole——-Woof!” For what he jerked ashore when he thought the fish was well hooked was a rotten snag. Koku was busy himself with a nibble just then or he might have angered his old friend by laughing. He might also have driven all the fish away, for when Koku laughed he could be heard for half a mile at least! “What yo’ got, boy?” asked the disgruntled Rad Sampson. “A rubber boot?” But Koku had caught a fine, shining perch and he began dancing around the tiny enclosed lawn in great delight. “Stop dat ghost-dancing!” exclaimed Rad. “String dat fish on dat withe. Dat’s only de fust one. Mars’ Tom hisself can eat a dozen ob dem for his supper.” “Sh!” hissed Koku suddenly, putting up a great hand in warning. He had landed on one splay foot and he stood there, with the other one raised, bent forward and listening. He had heard something beyond the hazel hedge. As Rad often said, Koku ought to possess the most wonderful hearing—his ears were big enough! In a moment he crept toward the repeated sound, his movements as soundless as those of a hunting cat. Rad came close behind him, trying to suppress a rather asthmatic breath and stepping as though he were walking on eggs. The sound was repeated—a little splashing. Through an opening in the brush Rad suddenly caught sight of a moving object. He grabbed Koku’s bare and hairy wrist. “Hold hard, big man!” he gasped. “Dat’s a bear!” They were almost within stone’s throw of civilization, and there had not been a bear heard of in that part of the State for fifty years; nevertheless, Rad was convinced of the presence of Bruin.