Castine's bear might easily be allowed too much liberty! Once he had killed a man in the open street of the City of Quebec, and once also he had nearly killed Castine.

They had had a fight and struggle, out of which the man came with a lacerated chest; but since that time he had become the master of the bear.

It feared him; yet, as he travelled with it, he scarcely ever took his eyes off it, and he never trusted it.

That was why, although Michael was always near him, sleeping or waking, he kept him chained at night.
As Shangois sang, Castine's brow knotted and twitched and his hand clinched on his pipe with a sudden ferocity.
"Name of a black cat, what do you sing that song for, notary ?" he broke out peevishly.

"Nose of a little god, are you making fun of me ?" Shangois handed him some tea.