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286 A Summer Night in a Norwegian Forest. "Well, who would believe it?" said the old man, "what did he want there ? It must have been some other noise you heard, for there doesn't grow anything on the dry heath hereabout which he would be after. No, not Brum, not he," he added ; " I almost think you are telling lies, Peter ! There's an old saying, that red hair and firs don't thrive in good soil," he continued half aloud. "If it had been down in the bear's den or in Stygdale, where Knut and I both heard him and saw him the other day —but here ?—No, no ! he doesn't come so near the fire, he doesn't ! You have been frightening yourself!" " Frightening myself ? Oh, dear no ! Didn't I hear him moving and crushing through the underwood, my canny Thor Lerberg ? " answered the other, somewhat offended and chagrined at the old man's doubts and taunts. " Well, well, my boy," continued Thor in his former tone, " I suppose it was something bigger than a squirrel anyhow ! " I now stepped forward, and said it must have been me that he had heard, and told them how I had lost my way, and the fright I had undergone, and how hungry and tired I was. I asked where abouts I was now, and if one of them would show me the way to Stubdale. My appearance created considerable surprise to the party, which however was not so much apparent in their words, as in the atten tion with which they regarded me and heard my story. The old man, whose nåme I had heard was Thor Lerberg, seemed particu larly interested in it ; and as it appeared that he was accustomed to thinking aloud, I could, on hearing some of the remarks which he now and then mumbled to himself, participate in his reflections, thus : " No, no, that was the wrong way !— He should have gone over the dam there—Stubdale way—he went wrong altogether—he is too young—he isn't used to the woods—ah, that was the woodcock — and the goatsucker—yes, yes ! it sounds strange to him, that hasn't heard him—oh, yes ! the loon does shriek dreadfully—par ticularly when there's fine rain —ah, ah ! yes, that must have been the bear he met—he is a brave boy after all ! "