 Marius Barbentane is visiting Bout-de-Zan uncle. He brings him and his wife a rabbit he pretends to have shot at 500 m. Taking into account the general laughter, it invites them the following day at his place and make the bet he is shooting a bird at 500m. Next day at Marius s, Bout-de-Zan playing in the garden meets a little boy. He discovers that Marius paid the boy 10 centimes to pull with a string a dead bird in a tree at 3 o clock. Bout-de-Zan gives money to the boy and takes his place. At 3, when Marius is shooting, a stuffed rabbit is falling from the tree. Everyone is laughing. A little note written by Bout-de-Zan explains that instead of lying, Marius will have to join the army and shoot German as Bout-de-Zan  s father. Immediately Marius is running and enrols himself.