"What is the good of asking Olaf?" broke in Ragnar, with a loud laugh.
"What does Olaf know about bears? He has been asleep for the last
half-hour dreaming of Athalbrand's blue-eyed daughter; or perhaps he is
making up another poem."

"Olaf sees farther when he seems asleep than some of us do when we are
awake," answered Steinar hotly.

"Oh yes," replied Ragnar. "Sleeping or waking, Olaf is perfect in your
eyes, for you've drunk the same milk, and that ties you tighter than a
rope. Wake up, now, brother Olaf, and tell us: Is not the bear dead?"

Then I answered, "Why, of course, a bear is dead; see its skull, also
pieces of its hide?"

"There!" exclaimed Ragnar. "Our family prophet has settled the matter.
Let us go home."

"Olaf said that _a_ bear was dead," answered Steinar, hesitating.

Ragnar, who had already swung himself round in his quick fashion, spoke
back over his shoulder:

"Isn't that enough for you? Do you want to hunt a skull or the raven
sitting on it? Or is this, perchance, one of Olaf's riddles? If so, I am
too cold to guess riddles just now."

"Yet I think there is one for you to guess, brother," I said gently,
"and it is: Where is the live bear hiding? Can't you see that there