He raised his gun and fired.
The figure came tumbling down with large, comic gestures, and was caught on a big, lower branch, where it remained lying stiff on its stomach, with a great top hat on its head of rags and its hay-stuffed legs swaying from right to left above some water that flowed past the cherry tree through a wooden trough.
They all laughed. The father approved:
"A fine shot, my lad. Besides, the old boy was beginning to annoy me. I couldn't take my eyes from my plate at meals without catching sight of that oaf...."
They went a few steps farther. They were not more than thirty yards from the house, when the father stopped suddenly and said:
"Hullo! What's up?"
The sons also had stopped and stood listening. One of them said, under his breath:
"It comes from the house ... from the linen-room...."
And another spluttered:
"Sounds like moans.... And mother's alone!"