"
"There isn't much of that here," the stranger exclaimed and laughed,
"don't you shoot? Wouldn't you like to come with me? Meanwhile I have
to go down to the inn and get some small shot, and while you are
getting ready, I can go over, and call down the blacksmith. Well! Will
you join?"
"Yes, with pleasure."
"Oh, by the way,--Thora! haven't you seen a girl?" he jumped up on the
embankment.
"Yes, there she is, she is my cousin, I can't introduce you to her,
but come along, let us follow her; we made a wager, now you can he the
judge. She was to be in the cemetery with the dogs and I was to pass
with gun and game-bag, but was not to call or to whistle, and if the
dogs nevertheless went with me she would lose; now we will see."
After a little while they overtook the lady; the hunter looked
straight ahead, but could not help smiling; Mogens bowed when they
passed. The dogs looked in surprise after the hunter and growled a
bit; then they looked up at the lady and barked, she wanted to pat
them, but indifferently they walked away from her and barked after the
hunter. Step by step they drew further and further away from her,
squinted at her, and then suddenly darted off after the hunter. And
when they reached him, they were quite out of control; they jumped up
on him and rushed off in every direction and back again.
"You lose," he called out to her; she nodded smilingly, turned round
and went on.
They hunted till late in the afternoon.
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