“I won’t!” said the boy.
Father Bear squeezed him a little harder, but said nothing.
“You’ll not get me to destroy the iron works!” defied the boy. “The iron is so great a blessing that it will never do to harm it.”
“Then, of course, you don’t expect to be allowed to live very long?” said the bear.
“No, I don’t expect it,” returned the boy, looking the bear straight in the eye.
Father Bear gripped him a little harder.
But just then the boy heard something click very close to them, and saw the muzzle of a rifle two paces away.
“Father Bear! Don’t you hear the clicking of a trigger?” cried the boy. “Run, or you’ll be shot!”
Father Bear grew terribly hurried. He thought he heard hounds and hunters pursuing him.