Then when they passed by the field the father indicated to each one the
piece he would have to weed that afternoon; for he himself would be
obliged to go to the cattle market. They would find a smaller hoe at home
for Sami to take with him in the afternoon, for pulling up the weeds was
too slow work.

After the boys had worked several hours in the afternoon, they sat down
in the shade of an old apple-tree to eat their luncheon, and the piece of
black bread with pear juice tasted very good after the hot work.

"Have you ever seen a bear?" asked Stoeffi of Sami.

He said he had not.

"Then you would be fearfully frightened if you should suddenly see one,"
continued Stoeffi; "only those who know them are not afraid of them. This
evening there is to be one in the village, and, as I am almost through
with my piece in the field, you can finish it, so I can go early to see
the bear."

Sami agreed. When all four had begun to hoe again, Stoeffi soon exclaimed:

"Well, you won't have much more to do now, Sami, but keep your
promise, or--"

Stoeffi doubled up his fist, and Sami understood what that meant.

He had hardly gone when Michael said:

"See, Sami, there isn't much left of mine, you can do that too; I am