Zbyszko now touched his head with his hand as if he had just remembered something important, and said:
"I must ask you for one thing more; have you any bear's grease? I want to use it for medicine for my uncle; and I could not find any in Bogdaniec."
"We used to have some," answered Jagienka; "but the boys have used some to grease their bows, and the dogs have eaten the rest."
"Well, then, I must find some in the forest."
"Have a hunting party for bears; there are plenty of them; and if you want some hunting implements, we will lend you some."
"I cannot wait. I will go some night to a _barcie_."
"No, I shall not do that, for they will frighten the beast."
"What can I do with a crossbow during the night? There is no moon now! I will take a fork and a strong axe, and I will go alone to-morrow."
Jagienka was silent for awhile; but great uneasiness was reflected on her face.
"Last year," said she, "the huntsman, Bezduch, was killed by a bear. It is dangerous, because as soon as the bear sees a man near the _barcie_, he immediately stands up on his hind feet."
"If he ran away, I could not get him," answered Zbyszko.
At that moment Zych who had been dozing, suddenly awakened and began to sing:
"Thou Kuba, of toil I Maciek of pleasure, Go then in the morning with the yoke in the field, While I amuse myself with Kasia."
"You know? There are two of them, Wilk of Brzozowa and Cztan of Rogow; and you?"
But Jagienka being afraid that Zych would say too much, swiftly approached Zbyszko, and began to inquire:
"To ours in Bogdaniec, not far from your boundaries, near the marshes of Radzikow. They tell me it is very easy to get a bear there."
Zbyszko went for the bear as he proposed, because Macko became worse. At first when he reached Bogdaniec, he was sustained by joy and the first cares about the house; but on the third day, the fever returned, and the pain was so great that he was obliged to go to bed. Zbyszko went to the _barcie_ during the day, and while there he perceived that there were the footprints of a bear in the mud. He spoke to the beehive keeper, Wawrek, who slept in a shed not far away, with his two faithful Podhalan[79] dogs; but he intended to return to the village on account of the cold.