"Let us alone," replied little Marie, "you haven't the key to our
appetites. Mine is closed to-day, but your Pierre's is wide open, like a
little wolf's. Just see how he goes at it! Oh! he'll be a sturdy
ploughman, too!"

In truth, Petit-Pierre soon showed whose son he was, and, although he
was hardly awake and did not understand where he was or how he came
there, he began to devour. Then, when his hunger was appeased, being
intensely excited as children generally are when their regular habits
are interrupted, he exhibited more quick wit, more curiosity, and more
shrewdness than usual. He made them tell him where he was, and when he
learned that he was in the middle of a forest, he was a little afraid.

"Are there naughty beasts in this forest?" he asked his father.

"No, there are none at all," was the reply. "Don't be afraid."

"Then you lied when you told me that the wolves would carry me off if I
went through the big forest with you?"

"Do you hear this reasoner?" said Germain in some embarrassment.

"He is right," replied little Marie, "you told him that; he has a good
memory, and he remembers it. But you must understand, my little Pierre,
that your father never lies. We passed the big forest while you were
asleep, and now we're in the little forest, where there aren't any
naughty beasts."

"Is the little forest very far from the big one?"