So it was for this that Father Bear had brought him here!
"If you will set fire to the noise-works, I'll promise to spare your
life," said Father Bear. "But if you don't do it, I'll make short work
of you!" The huge workshops were built of brick, and the boy was
thinking to himself that Father Bear could command as much as he liked,
it was impossible to obey him. Presently he saw that it might not be
impossible after all. Just beyond them lay a pile of chips and shavings
to which he could easily set fire, and beside it was a wood pile that
almost reached the coal shed. The coal shed extended over to the
workshops, and if that once caught fire, the flames would soon fly over
to the roof of the iron foundry. Everything combustible would burn, the
walls would fall from the heat, and the machinery would be destroyed.
"Will you or won't you?" demanded Father Bear. The boy knew that he
ought to answer promptly that he would not, but he also knew that then
the bear's paws would squeeze him to death; therefore he replied:
"I shall have to think it over."
"Very well, do so," assented Father Bear. "Let me say to you that iron
is the thing that has given men the advantage over us bears, which is
another reason for my wishing to put an end to the work here."
The boy thought he would use the delay to figure out some plan of
escape, but he was so worried he could not direct his thoughts where he
would; instead he began to think of the great help that iron had been to
mankind.
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