noon
`` An ' how were that ? '' asked Bob . '' ` Twere one winter an ' I were tendin ' my trail . I stops at noon t ' boil th ' kettle , an ' just has th ' fire goin ' fine an ' th ' water over when all t ' a sudden I hears a noise behind me and turnin ' sees a black bear right handy t ' me -- th ' biggest black bear I ever seen -- an ' makin ' fer me . I jumps up an ' grabs my gun an ' lets un have it , but wi ' th ' suddenness on it I misses , an ' away I starts an ' ` twere lucky I has my racquets on . '' `` Were this in _ winter _ ? '' asked Dick .