swearing.

Before the boy was really awake, Halfvorson had the note in his
hand and showed it to the two women, who stood in the doorway to
his room. "You see that I was right," said Halfvorson. "You see
that it was well worth while for me to drag you up to bear witness
against him! You see that he is a thief!"

"No, no, no," screamed poor Petter Nord. "I did not wish to steal.
I only hid the note."

Halfvorson heard nothing. Both the women stood with their backs
turned to the room, as if determined to neither hear nor see.

Petter Nord sat up in bed. He looked all of a sudden pitifully weak
and small. His tears were streaming. He wailed aloud.

"Uncle," said Edith, "he is weeping."

"Let him weep," said Halfvorson, "let him weep!" And he walked
forward and looked at the boy. "You can weep all you like," he
said, "but that does not take me in."

"Oh, oh," cried Petter Nord, "I am no thief. I hid the note as a
joke--to make you angry. I wanted to pay you back for the mice.
I am not a thief. Will no one listen to me. I am not a thief."

"Uncle," said Edith, "if you have tortured him enough now, perhaps
we may go back to bed?"