"People say that gun of Lars's has taken to missing its mark of late," said Hans Volden, leaning back, with both his feet on the desk. "Ever since that time when Lars shot, up at Osmark, at a bear that was asleep, it misses fire twice and misses the mark the third time."
"Yes, ever since he shot at a bear that was asleep," chimed in the girls.
"There is only one way in which this difficulty with the rifle can be remedied," said Ole Böen, "and that is to thrust a living snake down its barrel."
"Yes, we all know that," said the girls. They wanted to hear something new.
"It is now winter, and snakes are not to be found, and so Lars cannot depend very much upon his rifle," said Hans Volden, thoughtfully.
"He wants Niels Böen along with him, does he not?" asked Thorvald.
"Yes," said the boy from Böen's, who was, of course, best posted in regard to this; "but Niels will get permission neither from his mother nor from his sister. His father certainly died from the wrestle he had with the bear up at the sæter last year, and now they have no one but Niels."
"Is it so dangerous, then?" asked a little boy.
"Dangerous?" cried Thorvald. "The bear has as much sense as ten men, and as much strength as twelve."