[Illustration: LISBETH LONGFROCK]

LISBETH LONGFROCK

TRANSLATED FROM THE NORWEGIAN OF HANS AANRUD

BY

LAURA E. POULSSON

ILLUSTRATED BY

OTHAR HOLMBOE

GINN AND COMPANYBOSTON · NEW YORK · CHICAGO · LONDONATLANTA · DALLAS · COLUMBUS · SAN FRANCISCO

COPYRIGHT, 1907, BYLAURA E. POULSSON

ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

PRINTED IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

The Athenæum PressGINN AND COMPANY · PROPRIETORS ·BOSTON · U. S. A. 

PREFACE

Hans Aanrud's short stories are considered by his own countrymen asbelonging to the most original and artistically finished life picturesthat have been produced by the younger _literati_ of Norway. Theyare generally concerned with peasant character, and present in truebalance the coarse and fine in peasant nature. The style of speech isoccasionally over-concrete for sophisticated ears, but it is notunwholesome. Of weak or cloying sweetness--so abhorrent to Norwegiantaste--there is never a trace. 

_Sidsel Sidsærk_ was dedicated to the author's daughter on her eighthbirthday, and is doubtless largely reminiscent of Aanrud's ownchildhood. If I have been able to give a rendering at all worthy of theoriginal, readers of _Lisbeth Longfrock_ will find that the whole storybreathes a spirit of unaffected poetry not inconsistent with the commonlife which it depicts. This fine blending of the poetic and commonplaceis another characteristic of Aanrud's writings. 

While translating the book I was living in the region where the scenesof the story are laid, and had the benefit of local knowledgeconcerning terms used, customs referred to, etc. No pains were sparedin verifying particulars, especially through elderly people on thefarms, who could best explain the old-fashioned terms and who had aclear remembrance of obsolescent details of sæter life. For thiswelcome help and for elucidations through other friends I wish here tooffer my hearty thanks. 

Being desirous of having the conditions of Norwegian farm life made asclear as possible to young English and American readers, I felt thatseveral illustrations were necessary and that it would be well forthese to be the work of a Norwegian. To understand how the sun can bealready high in the heavens when it rises, and how, when it sets, theshadow of the western mountain can creep as quickly as it does from thebottom of the valley up the opposite slope, one must have someconception of the narrowness of Norwegian valleys, with steep mountainridges on either side. I felt also that readers would be interested inpictures showing how the dooryard of a well-to-do Norwegian farm looks, how the open fireplace of the roomy kitchen differs from ourfireplaces, how tall and slender a Norwegian stove is, built withalternating spaces and heat boxes, several stories high, and howCrookhorn and the billy goat appeared when about to begin their grandtussle up at Hoel Sæter. 

_Sidsel Sidsærk_ has given much pleasure to old and young. I hope that_Lisbeth Longfrock_ may have the same good fortune. 

LAURA E. POULSSON

HOPKINTON, MASSACHUSETTS

CONTENTS

CHAPTER PAGE

 I. LISBETH LONGFROCK GOES TO HOEL FARM 1

 II. LISBETH LONGFROCK AS SPINNING WOMAN 12

 III. LEAVING PEEROUT CASTLE 22

 IV. SPRING: LETTING THE ANIMALS OUT TO PASTURE 33

 V. SUMMER: TAKING THE ANIMALS UP TO THE SÆTER 52

 VI. THE TAMING OF CROOKHORN 68

 VII. HOME FROM THE SÆTER 84

VIII. ON GLORY PEAK 98

 IX. THE VISIT TO PEEROUT CASTLE 113

 X. SUNDAY AT THE SÆTER 129

 XI. LISBETH APPOINTED HEAD MILKMAID 139

LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS

LISBETH LONGFROCK _Frontispiece_

 PAGE

HOEL FARM 4

THE BIG KITCHEN AT HOEL FARM 12

LISBETH'S ROOM UNDER THE STAIRS 34

THE VALLEY AND THE FARMS 52

UP AT THE SÆTER 68

LISBETH LONGFROCK

CHAPTER I

LISBETH LONGFROCK GOES TO HOEL FARM

Bearhunter, the big, shaggy old dog at Hoel Farm, sat on the stone stepin front of the house, looking soberly around the spacious dooryard. 

It was a clear, cold winter's day toward the beginning of spring, andthe sun shone brightly over the glittering snow. In spite of the brightsunshine, however, Bearhunter would have liked to be indoors muchbetter than out, if his sense of responsibility had permitted; for hispaws ached with the cold, and he had to keep holding them up one afteranother from the stone slab to keep from getting the "claw ache. "Bearhunter did not wish to risk that, because "claw ache" is verypainful, as every northern dog knows. 

But to leave his post as watchman was not to be thought of just now, for the pigs and the goats were out to-day. At this moment they werebusy with their separate affairs and behaving very well, --the pigs overon the sunny side of the dooryard scratching themselves against thecorner of the cow house, and the goats gnawing bark from the big heapof pine branches that had been laid near the sheep barn for theirspecial use. They looked as if they thought of nothing but theirscratching and gnawing; but Bearhunter knew well, from previousexperience, that no sooner would he go into the house than both pigsand goats would come rushing over to the doorway and do all themischief they could. That big goat, Crookhorn, --the new one who hadcome to the farm last autumn and whom Bearhunter had not yet broughtunder discipline, --had already strayed in a roundabout way to the verycorner of the farmhouse, and was looking at Bearhunter in aself-important manner, as if she did not fear him in the least. She wasreally an intolerable creature, that goat Crookhorn! But just let herdare--!

Bearhunter felt that he must sit on the cold doorstep for some timelonger, at any rate. He glanced up the road occasionally as if to seewhether any one was coming, so that the pigs and goats might not thinkthey had the whole of his attention. 

He had just turned his head leisurely toward the narrow road that camedown crosswise over the slope from the Upper Farms, when--what in theworld was that!

Something _was_ coming, --a funny little roly-poly something. What apity, thought Bearhunter, that his sight was growing so poor! At anyrate, he had better give the people in the house warning. 

So he gave several deep, echoing barks. The goats sprang together in aclump and raised their ears; the pigs stopped in the very midst oftheir scratching to listen. That Bearhunter was held in great respectcould easily be seen. 

He still remained sitting on the doorstep, staring up the road. Neverin his life had he seen such a thing as that now approaching. Perhaps, after all, it was nothing worth giving warning about. He would take aturn up the road and look at it a little nearer. So, arching his bushytail into a handsome curve and putting on his most good-humoredexpression, he sauntered off. 

Yes, it must be a human being, although you would not think so. Itbegan to look very much like "Katrine the Finn, " as they called her, who came to the farm every winter; but it could not be Katrine--it wasaltogether too little. It wore a long, wide skirt, and from under theskirt protruded the tips of two big shoes covered with gray woolenstocking feet from which the legs had been cut off. Above the skirtthere was a round bundle of clothes with a knitted shawl tied aroundit, and from this protruded two stumps with red mittens on. Perched onthe top of all was a smaller shape, muffled up in a smaller knittedshawl, --that, of course, must be the head. Carried at the back was ahuge bundle tied up in a dark cloth, and in front hung a pretty woodenpail, painted red. 

Really, Bearhunter had to stand still and gaze. The strange figure, inthe meantime, had become aware of him, and it also came to astandstill, as if in a dilemma. At that, Bearhunter walked over to thefarther side of the road and took his station there, trying to lookindifferent, for he did not wish to cause any fright. The strangefigure then made its way carefully forward again, drawing graduallycloser and closer to its own side of the road. As it came nearer toBearhunter the figure turned itself around by degrees, until, whendirectly opposite to him, it walked along quite sidewise. 

Then it was that Bearhunter got a peep through a little opening in theupper shawl; and there he saw the tip of a tiny, turned-up red nose, then a red mouth that was drawn down a little at the corners as ifready for crying, and then a pair of big blue eyes that were fastenedupon him with a look of terror. 

[Illustration: HOEL FARM]

Pooh! it was nothing, after all, but a little girl, well bundled upagainst the cold. Bearhunter did not know her--but wait a bit! hethought he had seen that pail before. At any rate it would be absurd totry to frighten this queer little creature. 

His tail began to wag involuntarily as he walked across the road totake a sniff at the pail. 

The little girl did not understand his action at once. Stepping back inalarm, she caught her heels in her long frock and down she tumbled bythe side of the road. Bearhunter darted off instantly; but afterrunning a short distance toward the house he stopped and looked at heragain, making his eyes as gentle as he could and wagging his tailenergetically. With Bearhunter that wagging of the tail meant hearty, good-natured laughter. 

Then the little girl understood. She got up, smiled, and jogged slowlyafter him. Bearhunter trotted leisurely ahead, looking back at her fromtime to time. He knew now that she had an errand at Hoel Farm, and thathe was therefore in duty bound to help her. 

Thus it was that Lisbeth Longfrock of Peerout Castle made her entranceinto Hoel Farm. 

 * * * * *

Peerout Castle was perched high above the Upper Farms, on a crag thatjutted out from a barren ridge just under a mountain peak called "TheBig Hammer. " The real name of the little farm was New Ridge, [1] and"Peerout Castle" was only a nickname given to it by a joker becausethere was so fine an outlook from it and because it bore no resemblancewhatever to a castle. The royal lands belonging to this castleconsisted of a little plot of cultivated soil, a bit of meadow landhere and there, and some heather patches where tiny blueberry bushesand small mountain-cranberry plants grew luxuriantly. The castle'soutbuildings were a shabby cow house and a pigsty. The cow house wasbuilt against the steep hillside, with three walls of loosely builtstone, and its two stalls were dug half their length into the hill. Thetiny pigsty was built in the same fashion. 

 [1] It is customary in Norway for each farm, however small, to have a name. 

As for the castle itself, that was a very, very small, turf-roofedcabin lying out on the jutting crag in the middle of the rocky ridge. It had only one small window, with tiny panes of glass, that looked outover the valley. And yet, in whatever part of the surrounding countryone might be, by looking in that direction--and looking highenough--one could always see that little castle, with its single windowpeering out like a watchful eye over the landscape. 

Since the castle from which Lisbeth Longfrock came was no moremagnificent than this, it may easily be understood that she was nodisguised princess, but only a poor little girl. Coming to Hoel Farmfor the first time was for her like visiting an estate that was, invery truth, royal; and besides, she had come on an important "grown-up"errand. She was taking her mother's place and visiting Hoel as aspinning woman. 

Lisbeth's mother, whose name was Randi, [2] had worked hard for the lastfour years to get food for herself and her children up at PeeroutCastle. Before that the family had been in very comfortablecircumstances; but the father had died, leaving the mother with thecastle, one cow, and the care of the two children. The children wereJacob, at that time about six years old, and Lisbeth, a couple of yearsyounger. Life was often a hard struggle for the mother; but they had, at any rate, a house over their heads, and they could get wood withouthaving to go very far for it, since the forest lay almost within astone's throw. 

 [2] (In the original, Roennaug. ) This was the mother's first name. Her full name would be Randi Newridge, or Randi Peerout. 

In the summer Randi managed to dig up her tiny plots of ground after afashion, so that she could harvest a few potatoes and a little grain. By cutting grass and stripping off birch leaves she had thus farmanaged each year to give Bliros, their cow, enough to eat. And wherethere is a cow there is always food. 

In the winter she spun linen and wool for the women on the farms farand near, but as she had lived at Hoel Farm as a servant before she wasmarried, it was natural that most of her spinning should be forKjersti[3] Hoel. 

 [3] Kyare'-stee. 

In such ways had Randi been able to care for her family. MeanwhileJacob, now ten years old, had grown big enough to earn his own living. In the spring before the last a message had come from Nordrum Farm thata boy was needed to look after the flocks, and Jacob had at onceapplied and been accepted. He and Lisbeth had often knelt on the longwooden bench under the little window at Peerout Castle, and gazed uponthe different farms, choosing which they would work on when they werebig enough. Jacob had always chosen Nordrum Farm, --probably because hehad heard Farmer Nordrum spoken of as the big man of the community;while Lisbeth had always thought that it would be pleasanter at HoelFarm because it was owned by a woman. 

When autumn came Farmer Nordrum had concluded that he would have usefor such a boy as Jacob during the winter also, and so Jacob had stayedon. This last Christmas, however, he had gone home for the whole dayand had taken with him a Christmas present for his sister from a littlegirl at Nordrum. The present was a gray woolen frock, --a very nice one. 

Jacob had grown extremely pleasant and full of fun while at Nordrum, Lisbeth thought. When she tried the frock on and it reached way down tothe ground before and behind, he called her "Lisbeth Longfrock" andLisbeth Longfrock she had remained from that day. 

After Christmas, times had been somewhat harder at Peerout Castle. Bliros, who generally gave milk the whole year round, had become dry, and would not give milk for several months. She was to have a calf inthe early summer. During the last few weeks there had not been milkenough even for Randi's and Lisbeth's coffee. 

To go to Svehaugen, [4] the nearest farm, for milk was no short trip;and milk was scarce there too, as Randi well knew. Besides, she couldnot spare the time to go. She had to finish spinning Kjersti Hoel'swool. When she once got that off her hands, they could have plenty ofmilk for their coffee, and other good things besides. What a relief itwould be when that time came!

 [4] Sva-howg-en. 

So Randi worked steadily at her spinning, Lisbeth being now big enoughto help in carding the wool. For a week she spun almost withoutceasing, scarcely taking time for meals, but drinking a good deal ofstrong black coffee. Not until very late one evening was Kjersti Hoel'swool all spun and ready. By that time Randi was far from well. Whetheror not her illness was caused, as she thought, by drinking so muchblack coffee, certain it is that when Kjersti Hoel's wool was all spunRandi felt a tightness in her chest, and when she got up the nextmorning and tried to get ready to go to Hoel with the spinning, she wasseized with such a sudden dizziness that she had to go back to bedagain. She was too weak for anything else. 

Now it was the custom in Norway for the spinning woman to take back tothe different farms the wool she had spun, and for the farmers' wivesto praise her work, treat her to something good to eat and drink, payher, and then give her directions about the way the next spinning wasto be done. All this Randi would have to give up for the present--therewas no help for it; but she wondered how it would do to send Lisbeth toHoel Farm in her stead. The little girl would find her way safely, Randi was sure, although Randi had never as yet taken her to that farmbecause it was so far off. The payment for the spinning was to be ineatables as well as money, and Lisbeth could bring home part of whatwas due. Then, though they still might lack many things, their drop ofcoffee could have cream in it, as coffee ought to have. The remainderof the payment and the directions for the next spinning Randi herselfcould get when she was better. 

If she could only be sure that Lisbeth would behave properly and notact like a changeling, a troll child!

Lisbeth eagerly promised that if her mother would allow her to go shewould behave exactly as a spinning woman should, --she would, really!And she remembered perfectly well just how everything was done thattime she had gone with her mother to one of the nearer farms. 

So Lisbeth put on her long frock, which was used only for very best, and her mother wrapped her up snugly in the two shawls. Then the bundleof yarn was slung over her back, the pail was hung in front, manydirections were given to her about the road, and off she started. 

And that is the way Lisbeth Longfrock happened to come toddling afterBearhunter to Hoel Farm on that clear, cold winter's day toward thebeginning of spring. 

CHAPTER II

LISBETH LONGFROCK AS SPINNING WOMAN

When Lisbeth found herself in the farm dooryard, with the differentbuildings all about her, she really had to stand still and gaze around. Oh, how large everything was!--quite on another scale from things athome. Why, the barn door was so broad and high that Peerout Castlecould easily go right through it, and each windowpane in the big housewas as large as their own whole window. And such a goat!--for just thenshe caught sight of Crookhorn, who had come warily up to the doorway, and who only saw fit to draw back as Bearhunter approached. Not thatCrookhorn was afraid of Bearhunter, --no, indeed!

The goat was larger than most goats, --about as large as a good-sizedcalf. If the cows belonging to Hoel Farm were as much larger thanordinary cows, thought Lisbeth, they would be able to eat grass fromthe roof of Peerout Castle while standing, just as usual, on theground. [5] She glanced searchingly at the cow-house door. No, it wasnot larger than such doors usually were, so the cows were evidently nobigger than other cows. 

 [5] Norwegian children in country districts are accustomed to see goats walking about on the roofs of turf-covered huts, nibbling the herbage; but the idea of a creature so large as to be able to eat from the roof while standing on the ground was very astonishing to Lisbeth. 

Bearhunter had followed after Crookhorn until the latter was well outof the way; then he had come back again, and now stood wagging his tailand turning toward the house door as if coaxing Lisbeth to go in. Yes, she must attend to her errand and not stay out there staring ateverything. 

So she followed after Bearhunter and went into the hall way. She liftedthe latch of the inner door, turned herself around carefully as shewent in so as to make room for her bundle, fastened the door behindher--and there she stood inside the big kitchen at Hoel!

[Illustration: THE BIG KITCHEN AT HOEL FARM]

There were only two people in the kitchen, --one a young servant maid inthe middle of the room spinning, and the other the mistress herself, Kjersti Hoel, over by the white wall of the big open fireplace, grinding coffee. 

Both looked up when they heard the door open. 

Lisbeth Longfrock stood still for a moment, then made a deep courtesyunder her long frock and said in a grown-up way, just as she had heardher mother say, "Good day, and God bless your work. "

Kjersti Hoel had to smile when she saw the little roly-poly bundle overby the door, talking in such a grown-up fashion. But she answered assoberly as if she also were talking to a grown-up person: "Good day. Isthis a young stranger out for a walk?"

"Yes. "

"And what is the stranger's name, and where is she from? I see that Ido not know her. "

"No, you could not be expected to. My mother and Jacob call me LisbethLongfrock, and I am from Peerout Castle. Mother sent me here with thewoolen yarn she has spun for you. She told me to say that she could notcome with it before, for she did not get the last spool wound untillate last night. "

"Indeed! Can it be a spinning woman we have here? And to think that Iwholly forgot to ask you to sit down after your long walk! You reallymust take off your things and stay awhile. "

What a pleasant woman Kjersti Hoel was! She got up from her own chairand set one forward for Lisbeth. 

"Thank you; I shall be glad to sit down, " said Lisbeth. 

She took off the pail and the bundle of wool and put them down by thedoor, and then began to walk across the floor over to the chair. Itseemed as if she would never get there, so far was it across the bigkitchen, --nearly as far as from their own door to the cow-house door atPeerout Castle. At last, however, she reached the chair; but it washigher than the seats she was accustomed to and she could barelyscramble up on one corner of it. 

Kjersti Hoel came toward her. 

"I really think I must open this roly-poly bundle and see what is init, " said she; and she began to take off Lisbeth's red mittens and toundo the knitted shawls. Soon Lisbeth sat there stripped of all herouter toggery, but nevertheless looking almost as plump and roly-polyas ever; for not only did her long frock barely clear the ground at thebottom, but its band reached almost up under her arms. 

Kjersti stood and looked at her a moment. 

"That is just what I thought, --that I should find a nice little girlinside all those clothes. You look like your mother. "

At this Lisbeth grew so shy that she forgot all about being a spinningwoman. She cast down her eyes and could not say a word. 

"But what is the matter with Randi, your mother?" continued Kjersti. "Why could she not come herself?"

"She was a little poorly to-day. "

"Indeed! Randi not well? And her health is generally so good. What ailsher?"

"Oh, she thought that very likely drinking strong coffee without milkhad not been good for her. "

"So you have no milk at your house. Perhaps that is why you havebrought a pail with you. "

"Yes; what do you think! Bliros has stopped giving us milk thiswinter. "

"Has she, indeed! That is rather inconvenient, isn't it? How longbefore she can be milked again?"

"Not until the beginning of summer, after she has had her calf. "

"H'm, " said Kjersti thoughtfully. By and by, as if to herself, shesaid: "I have often thought of going to see Randi, but have never doneso. Before this spring is over, I must surely pay her a visit. "

 * * * * *

Lisbeth Longfrock stayed a long time at Hoel that day. Although she hadcome in the important character of spinning woman, she had neverimagined that a great person like Kjersti Hoel would be so pleasant andkind to her. Kjersti treated her to coffee and cakes and milk and othergood things, just as if she had been an invited guest, and chatted withher in such a way that Lisbeth forgot all about being shy. And oh, howmany curious things Kjersti showed her!

The cow house was the finest of them all. There were so many cows thatLisbeth could scarcely count them. And then the pigs and sheep andgoats! and hens, too, inside a big latticework inclosure, --nearly asmany of them as there were crows in autumn up at Peerout!

And Kjersti wanted to know about _everything_, --whether Lisbeth couldread and write (she could do both, for Jacob had taught her), and howthey managed about food up at Peerout Castle, and how it went with thefarming. 

Lisbeth could tell her that in the autumn they had gathered threebarrels of potatoes, and one barrel and three pecks of mixed grain; andthat they had stripped off so many birch leaves that they had fodderenough to carry Bliros through the winter, --in fact, much more thanenough. 

When Kjersti had shown Lisbeth the sheep and the goats, she declaredthat she should certainly need a little girl to look after her flockswhen spring came; and then Lisbeth, before she knew what she wassaying, told Kjersti how she and Jacob used to look at the farms fromthe window at home, and how she had always chosen Hoel as the placewhere she should like to work when she was big enough. 

"Should you really like to go out to work?" Kjersti inquired. 

"Yes, indeed, " Lisbeth said, "if it were not for leaving mother. "

"Well, we will not think about that any more at present, " said Kjersti, "but I will go up and talk with your mother about it some time in thespring. We certainly ought to go into the house now, so that you canhave time to take a little food before leaving. It is drawing towardevening and you will have to start for home soon. "

So they went into the house again, and Lisbeth had another feast ofgood things. While she was eating she noticed that Kjersti brought fromthe cellar some butter and cheese and other things and packed them inthe dark cloth in which the wool had been tied. The milk pail she didnot touch at all; but Lisbeth saw that she said something about itsoftly to the servant maid, after which the maid left the room. 

When Lisbeth had eaten and had said "Thanks and praise for both foodand drink, " Kjersti remarked: "Now you must lift the bundle over thereand see if you can carry it. "

The bundle _was_ rather heavy. Still, Lisbeth thought she could manageit. But the pail! Not a word did Kjersti say, even now, about the pail!She only added, kindly, "Come, and I will help you put on your things. "

She drew on Lisbeth's mittens, wrapped her up snugly in the two littleshawls, and, in a trice, there stood Lisbeth Longfrock looking exactlyas she did when she had come to Hoel that morning. 

Slowly and reluctantly Lisbeth went toward the door, where the pailstill stood. How strange that Kjersti had not even yet said a singleword about it! Lisbeth stood for a moment in doubt. After receiving somuch, it would never do to remind Kjersti about the pail; but she wouldmuch rather have gone without the good things she herself had beentreated to than to go home without any milk for her mother's coffee. 

She took up the bundle, drew her face with its turned-up nose tip backinto its little shawl as far as she could so that Kjersti should notsee the tears in her eyes, and then bent down and lifted the pail. 

At that Kjersti said: "Oh, yes! the pail! I quite forgot it. Are youwilling to exchange pails with me if I give you one that will never getempty?"

Lisbeth dropped her pail plump on the floor. She had seen and heardmany curious things on this eventful day, --things she had never seen orthought of before; but that Kjersti, besides everything else, had apail that would never get empty! She stood and stared, open-mouthed. 

"Yes, you must come and see it, " said Kjersti. "It stands just outsidethe door. "

Lisbeth was not slow in making her way out. Kjersti followed her. Therestood the servant maid, holding the big goat, Crookhorn, by a rope. 

"The goat is used to being led, " said Kjersti, "so you will have notrouble in taking it home. Give my greetings to your mother, and askher if she is satisfied with the exchange of pails. "

Kjersti was not a bit displeased because Lisbeth Longfrock forgot toexpress her thanks as she started off with Crookhorn. Bearhunterfollowed the little girl and the goat a long distance up the road. Hedid not understand matters at all!

 * * * * *

It is not to be wondered at that Randi, too, was greatly surprised whenshe saw Crookhorn following after Lisbeth as the little girl approachedthe castle. 

There was not time for Lisbeth to tell about everything at the veryfirst, for her mother and she had to clear up the stall next to the oneBliros occupied, and put Crookhorn into it. When this was done theyfelt exactly as if they had two cows. The goat took her place in thestall with a self-important, superior air, quite as if she were a realcow and had never done anything else but stand in a cow stall. Blirosbecame offended at this remarkable newcomer, who was putting on suchairs in the cow house that had always belonged to herself alone, and soshe made a lunge with her head and tried to hook the goat with herhorns; but Crookhorn merely turned her own horns against those ofBliros in the most indifferent manner, as if quite accustomed to beinghooked by cows. 

Bliros gazed at her in astonishment. Such a silly goat! She had neverseen such a silly goat. And with that she turned her head to the wallagain and did not give Crookhorn another look. 

That evening Lisbeth Longfrock had so many things to tell her motherthat she talked herself fast asleep!

CHAPTER III

LEAVING PEEROUT CASTLE

The next time Lisbeth Longfrock came to Hoel Farm, she did not comealone; and she came--to stay!

All that had happened between that first visit and her second cominghad been far, far different from anything Lisbeth had ever imagined. Itseemed as if there had been no time for her to think about the strangeevents while they were taking place. She did not realize what theirresult would be until after she had lived through them and gone out ofthe gate of Peerout Castle when everything was over. So much had beengoing on in those last sad, solemn days, --so much that was new to seeand to hear, --that although she had felt a lump in her throat the wholetime, she had not had a real cry until at the very end. But when shehad passed through the gate that last day, and had stopped and lookedback, the picture that she then saw had brought the whole clearlybefore her, with all its sorrow. Something was gone that would nevercome again. She would never again go to Peerout Castle except as astranger. She had no home--no home anywhere. And at that she had begunto weep so bitterly that those who had been thinking how wisely andquietly she was taking her trouble could but stand and look at her inwonder. 

 * * * * *

The last two months of the winter had passed so quickly up at PeeroutCastle that Lisbeth really could not tell what had become of them; andthis was owing not a little to the fact that, besides all her otherwork, she had so much to do in the cow house. 

Crookhorn had become, as it were, Lisbeth's cow, and consequently hadto be taken care of by her. Bliros showed very plainly that she wouldnot like at all to have Randi's attentions bestowed upon a rascallygoat. That would make it seem as if the goat were fully as important aperson in the cow house as Bliros herself; whereas the whole cow house, in reality, belonged to her, and that other creature was only allowedthere as a favor. 

So Lisbeth took care of Crookhorn exactly as she saw her mother takecare of Bliros. In fact, before long she had more to do in the cowhouse than her mother had; for she soon learned to milk Crookhorn, while Bliros, her mother's cow, could not then be milked. 

And Crookhorn gave so much milk! Three times a day Lisbeth had to milkher. There was no longer any scarcity of cream for coffee or milk forporridge. Indeed, there was even cream enough to make waffles with nowand then. 

Springtime came. It always came early up at Peerout Castle. The slopesof heather, directly facing the sun, were the first in the whole valleyto peep up out of the snow. As soon as the heathery spots began to showthemselves, Lisbeth was out on them, stepping here and there with acautious foot. It seemed so wonderful to step on bare earth againinstead of snow! Day by day she kept track of the different greenpatches, watching them grow larger and larger, and seeing how the snowglided slowly farther and farther downward, --exactly as her own frockdid when she loosened the band and let it slip down and lie in a ringaround her feet. When the snow had slipped as far down as the big stonewhere she and Jacob used to have their cow house (using pine cones forcows and sheep), the outermost buds on the trees would swell and beready to burst, --she knew that from the year before; and when the budshad really opened (she kept close watch of them every day now), then, _then_ would come the great day when Crookhorn could be let out. Lisbeth's mother had said so. 

That great day was what she was waiting for, not only because it wouldbe so pleasant for Crookhorn to be out, but because no food was equalto the first buds of spring for making goats yield rich milk. 

Lisbeth's mother had been far from well ever since the day that Lisbethwent over to Hoel Farm for the first time. But Lisbeth thought that assoon as Crookhorn had fresh buds to eat and gave richer milk, hermother would of course get entirely well. 

It is very possible that a little streak of snow was still lying by theupper side of the big stone (in spite of Lisbeth's having scatteredsand there to make the snow melt faster) on the bright spring day whenLisbeth went into the cow house, unfastened Crookhorn, and led her outof the stall. 

As for Crookhorn, she followed her little mistress very sedately untilthey reached the cow-house door. There she stopped short, lookingaround and blinking at the sun. Lisbeth pulled at the rope, trying todrag her over to the part of the ridge where the birch tree with thefullest leaf buds stood. But Crookhorn would not budge. She merelystood stock-still as if nothing were being done to her; for she was sostrong that, however hard Lisbeth pulled, it did not even make herstretch her neck. Lisbeth then went nearer, thinking that she couldpull better without such a length of rope between her and the goat; butat that, quick as a wink, Crookhorn lowered her head and buttedLisbeth, causing the little girl to fall back against the hillside witha whack. Upon which, Crookhorn stalked in an indifferent manner acrossthe road. 

Lisbeth picked herself up and started to go after her charge; but, ifyou please, as soon as she came near enough and tried to seizeCrookhorn, away would that naughty goat dart, not galloping as a goatusually does, but trotting like a cow or an elk. She trotted by thehouse and turned off on the road leading to Svehaugen Farm. Lisbethpursued swiftly; but, run as she might, she could not gain uponCrookhorn. At last, stumbling over a stone, the little girl fell atfull length, having barely time, while falling, to look up and catch aglimpse of Crookhorn's back as the goat, trotting swiftly, disappearedover the brow of a hill. 

There was no other way out of it, --Lisbeth would have to run home andget her mother to help her. This she did, and they both set out in fullchase. It was a long run, for they did not overtake Crookhorn untilthey had reached the Svehaugen gate. There stood the goat gazingunconcernedly through the palings. She evidently felt herself superiorto jumping over fences, --she who imagined herself to be a cow!

Randi had become much overheated from running, and at night, when shewent to bed, she said she felt cold and shivery. That seemed verystrange indeed to Lisbeth, for when she laid her face against hermother's neck, it was as hot as a burning coal. 

In the morning Lisbeth's mother woke her and told her to get up and goover to Kari Svehaugen's and ask Kari to come to Peerout Castle. Randifelt so poorly that there was no use in her even trying to get up. Shewas not able. 

Not able to get up! That also seemed very strange to Lisbeth, for neverbefore had she seen her mother with cheeks so red and eyes so shining. The child did not say anything, however, but got up, dressed herselfquickly and quietly, and ran off to Svehaugen. 

After that there came several wonderful days at Peerout Castle. WhenLisbeth Longfrock thought about them afterward, they seemed like asingle long day in which a great many things had happened that shecould not separate from one another and set in order. In herremembrance it was as if shadows had glided to and fro in an uglyyellow light, while the sound of a heavy, painful breathing wasconstantly heard, penetrating all other sounds. 

She seemed dimly to see Kari Svehaugen gliding about and taking care ofthings in the home and out in the cow house. She herself had climbed abirch tree several times and picked leaf buds for the animals to eat. One day Lars Svehaugen had flitted along the road in front of thehouse, swiftly, as if he had not a moment to spare. Soon after this, some one dressed in furs and with big boots on came driving to thehouse, and all the neighbors flocked around him, listening to what hesaid. And he brought such a curious smell with him! It filled the wholehouse, so that, even after he had gone away, he seemed to be stillthere. 

She thought, too, that once she had seen Kjersti Hoel sitting on achair, taking many good things out of a big basket, and Jacob standingby Kjersti's side with a great slice of raisin cake in his hand. AndJacob had kept chewing and chewing on his raisin cake, as if it washard work to get it down. What she remembered chiefly, though, wasJacob's eyes, --they looked so big and strange. 

Then one morning she had awakened in a clear gray light, and from thattime she remembered everything very distinctly. She was lying in thelittle trundle-bed that Jacob had slept in when he lived at home, --shemust, of course, have slept in it all these nights, --and Kari Svehaugenwas standing beside it, looking down upon her. The house was oh! sostill, --she did not hear the heavy, painful breathing any longer. Theonly sound was a slight crackling in the fireplace, out of which astream of warmth issued. 

Kari said very quietly: "Your mother is comfortable and happy now, little Lisbeth; better off than she has ever been before. So you mustnot cry. "

And Lisbeth did not cry. She merely got up and went about the housevery, very quietly all that first day. Afterwards there were so manypreparations being made for some solemn festival that she did not seemto get time to think about the great change that had taken place. 

Lars Svehaugen came from the storekeeper's with ever so much finewhite, shining cloth, --she had never seen the like. Then a woman cameto help Kari cut out and sew, and they made pillows and a fine whitegarment that mother was to have on when she lay upon the pillows. AndLars Svehaugen began to make a new wooden bed for mother to lie in; andBliros had her calf, and the calf was slaughtered; and Lars Svehaugenbrought some small pine trees and nailed them at the gateposts andoutside the house door, one at each side, and he strewed pine branchesall the way from the door to the gate. And there came presents offood--oh! so many good things--from Kjersti Hoel and others. Lisbethhad never tasted such delicious food before. 

Then came the day when mother was to be taken to the church and buried. Many people came to the house that day, --among them Jacob in a brightnew suit of gray woolen homespun; and there was a feast for them all, and everything was very still and solemn. Even the schoolmaster came;and oh, how beautifully he sang when Lars Svehaugen and three other mencarried mother out through the door and set her couch upon a sledge. 

Then they all went slowly away from the house, down the hill, --thesledge first and the people walking slowly behind. But down at thebottom of the hill, in the road, there stood two horses and wagonswaiting; and, just think! Lisbeth and Jacob were invited to sit up inKjersti Hoel's broad wagon and drive with her. 

Then they came to the white church; and as they carried mother inthrough the big gateway the church bells up in the tower rang, oh, sobeautifully!

After that Lisbeth did not see things quite so clearly, but theylowered mother down into the earth in the churchyard and strewedwreaths of green heather over her, and then the schoolmaster sangagain, and all the men took off their hats and held them a long timebefore their faces. 

After that the people went out of the churchyard, and Lisbeth and Jacobclimbed into Kjersti Hoel's broad wagon again and drove away, --onlythis time they drove much faster. It looked as if the boards in thefences ran after each other in an opposite direction from the one inwhich she and Jacob were going. They both tried to count them, butcould not. 

All the people came back with them to Peerout Castle, --Kjersti Hoel, too. Kari Svehaugen, who had not gone to the church, had covered thetable with a white tablecloth, and set it with plates and good thingsto eat. And all the people ate and talked, --but they did not talk veryloudly. 

When the meal was over, Lisbeth got Jacob to go out into the cow houseto look at Crookhorn. Jacob conceded that the goat was an extremelyfine animal, but she was a vixen, he was sure, --he could tell that byher eyelids. 

Then they went over to the hill to look at the mill wheel that Jacobused to have there; but it had fallen into complete decay because hehad been away from home so long. Such things need a boy's personalattention. 

After that they were called into the house again and everybody drankcoffee. When they had finished the coffee drinking, Kari began packinginto baskets the food that was left; and when that was done, KjerstiHoel said: "Well, now we have done everything that we can here. You maybring Crookhorn with you, Lisbeth, and come to live with me. That wasthe last thing I promised your mother. "

Thus had it come about that Lisbeth Longfrock, holding Crookhorn by arope, stood outside the gate at Peerout Castle with Kjersti Hoel andBearhunter; and then it was that she looked behind her and began tocry. 

On one road she saw Kari Svehaugen with a big basket on her arm andBliros following her; and on the other she saw the back of Jacob, withwhom she had just shaken hands, saying, "May you fare well. " He lookedsingularly small and forlorn. 

Last of all she saw Lars Svehaugen put a pine twig in the door latch asa sign that Peerout Castle was now closed, locked, and forsaken. 

CHAPTER IV

SPRING: LETTING THE ANIMALS OUT TO PASTURE

One morning, a few weeks after the sad departure from Peerout Castle, Lisbeth Longfrock awoke early in the small sleeping room built underthe great staircase at Hoel. She opened her eyes wide at the moment ofwaking, and tried to gather her thoughts together. She was conscious ofa delightful, quivering expectancy, and felt that she had awakened tosomething great and new, --something that she had waited for and beenexceedingly glad over; but she could not at once remember just what itwas. 

The little room, whose only furniture consisted of a bed, a chair, astove, and a small wooden shelf with a mirror over it, was filled withdaylight in spite of the early hour. The sun fell slanting down througha window set high up in the wall directly over Lisbeth's bed, and thewindowpanes were pictured in bright yellow squares on the floor nearthe tiny stove. The corner of one square spread itself against thestove, and Lisbeth traced it with her eyes as she lay in bed. At thetip of the corner glimmered something light-green and shiny. Was itfrom there that a fine, wonderful fragrance came floating toward her?She sniffed a little. Yes, indeed! now she remembered. The fragrancecame from the fresh birch twigs she had decorated the room withyesterday. Out of doors it was spring, --the sprouting, burstingspringtime. To-day the cattle were to be let out and the calves named. To-day she would begin work in earnest and be a responsible individual. In short, she would be the herd girl at Hoel Farm. 

It was now a month since Lisbeth had come to Hoel Farm, but up to thistime she had been treated merely as company. She had walked about theplace, sauntered after Kjersti here and there in the house, ground thecoffee, and brought out from a bowl in the pantry the small cakes thatthey ate with their coffee every afternoon. Frequently, too, she hadhad pleasant talks with Kjersti. 

As for helping with the animals, --the sheep and the goats had been letout, to be sure, but nevertheless they did not need her care becausethey were allowed, so early in the season, to run about everywhereexcept in the garden, and that Bearhunter stood guard over. In the cowhouse there was nothing for her to do, for a milkmaid and anunder-milkmaid did the work there. Of course the girl who tended theflocks ought really to be able to help in milking the cows; but it wasthought that Lisbeth had better wait a year before she tried to dothat, --her hands being rather too small as yet. Lisbeth had keptmeasuring her hands every now and then and pulling her fingers to makethem grow; and after a while she had asked the milkmaid if she did notthink they had grown large enough, but the milkmaid did not see thatthey were any larger. She could not have very good eyes!

Lisbeth had, of course, expected to take care of Crookhorn, --Kjerstiand she both thought she ought to do that; but it had proved to beimpossible. Crookhorn had become so freakish that sometimes they almostthought her out of her wits. In the building shared by the sheep andgoats she ranged back and forth from wall to wall, knocking against thesheep and the other goats so hard as she went that their ribs rattled. At last she had to be tied to one of the walls, and with the shortestrope possible at that. Nor would she allow herself to be milkedpeaceably in that building. The first time Lisbeth tried it, Crookhorn, with a toss of the head, gave a kick that sent Lisbeth and the pailrolling off in different directions. Afterward the milkmaid herselftook Crookhorn in hand at milking time; but even for her it was alwaysa feat of strength, and she had to have some one to help her by holdingthe goat's horns. 

When Crookhorn was let out with the other goats, would she ramble withthem over the fields and meadows, seeking food? No, indeed! She wouldstation herself poutingly by the cow-house door and stand there thelivelong day, --"bellowing like a cow" the farm boy said; and then inthe evening, when the other goats came home plump and well fed, thereCrookhorn would stand as thin and hungry as a wolf. 

Lisbeth thought that Crookhorn, if provided with a stall in the cowhouse, would act like a reasonable creature again. But neither Kjerstinor the milkmaid would consent to the removal; they thought a goatought not to be humored in such unreasonable fancies. 

Thus it was that Lisbeth had not had much to do during her first monthat Hoel Farm. The only thing that Kjersti had required of her was tokeep her own little room under the hall staircase in nice order, andthat she had done. Every day she had made the bed herself, and everySaturday she had washed the floor and the shelf, and spread junipertwigs about. Last Saturday Kjersti had come out to take a look at it, and had said to her that she kept her room in better order than thegrown-up girls in the south chamber kept theirs; and Lisbeth knew thatthis was true, for she had noticed it herself. 

[Illustration: LISBETH'S ROOM UNDER THE STAIRS]

But now everything was going to be different. Kjersti Hoel had come toLisbeth's room the night before and said that the cows were to be letout early in the morning, and that Lisbeth, like all the rest of theHoel Farm people, must be up early to help. Later in the day the calvesthat had been born in the cow house during the winter were to be letout for the first time, and Lisbeth would have to look after them forthat afternoon at any rate. Kjersti had said also that Lisbeth was tobe allowed to give the calves their names, --names that they would keepall their lives, even after they had grown to be full-sized cows. 

The next day after the letting out of the animals Lisbeth was to take alunch bag and begin her spring work of going into the forest all day towatch the sheep and goats. It would not do to have them running aboutthe fields at home any longer, Kjersti said. 

Suddenly Lisbeth recollected what it was that she had pondered over solong as she lay awake the evening before, --it was the names of thecalves. In spite of all her pondering she had got no farther than towonder whether the cow with the red sides and white head and the gentlebut bright-looking face should not be called Bliros. That idea, however, she had given up; it seemed to her that only one cow in theworld could be called Bliros. Then she had determined to think nolonger about Bliros or the names of the calves, and so had fallenasleep. 

What if she had overslept herself now! She hoped not, with all herheart, for she had heard Kjersti Hoel say that she did not like girlsto lie abed late and dally in the morning. How mortifying it would befor her not to be on the spot as early as the others to-day, her veryfirst working day!

Wide-awake now, Lisbeth hopped quickly out of bed and popped into herlong frock. Then, having made her bed[6] with all haste, she opened thedoor, went out through the hall way, and stood on the outside steps. 

 [6] Lisbeth meant to be very neat and tidy, but she should have let her bed air longer before making it!

The sun had just risen above the highest spruce tops over the edge ofthe eastern hills, and the light was flooding the sides of the valleylike a waterfall. In the meadows and on the sloping fields the sunbeamsquivered in the dew. They sifted in gold, they glittered in green, theysilvered the clear brooks that babbled down the hills. From every bushcame a twittering and chirping and clapping of wings. From everything, everywhere, came a message of joy and activity and sprouting life. Mingled in one great morning effervescence, single sights and soundswere lost; only the call of the cuckoo, far up on the birch-clad slope, was heard above the other sounds, and from every shining window glanceda big, serene eye of reflected sun rays. 

And just as there were thousands of different sounds, so were therealso thousands of different odors, --from the steaming earth, from thegrowing grass, from buds and blossoms; and above them all, like thecuckoo's call that was heard above the thousands of blended sounds, rose the fine, penetrating fragrance of newly sprouted birch trees. 

Lisbeth stood still awhile, drawing deep breaths and letting the sweetair and the effervescence of spring stream in upon her. Then she lookedaround at the different farm buildings. Quiet brooded within them andevery door was shut. Of all the living creatures belonging to the farm, not one was to be seen except Bearhunter, who got up slowly from theflat stone where he had been lying, comfortably sunning himself, andcame over to her, looking up into her face and wagging his tail. 

Truly, she believed she was the first one up on the whole farm to-day. 

Well, of course she would have to wait. So she sat herself down on thesteps. 

Oh, no; it was just as she might have known it would be. Kjersti Hoelwas up. Lisbeth heard her come out of her own room into the kitchen, take a big stick, and knock three times on the ceiling to waken thegirls in the south chamber. 

In a moment Lisbeth heard a thump! thump! as the girls hopped out ofbed, and then a clattering noise as they put on their shoes. SoonKjersti came out of the house. She was going over to the building wherethe men slept to waken them. 

Catching sight of Lisbeth, she exclaimed: "No! this cannot be Lisbethalready up. What a wide-awake little girl! I think I shall have to makeyou head milkmaid. "

At this Lisbeth became so shy that she could not raise her eyes to lookat Kjersti; but it must be acknowledged that when the head milkmaid andthe other girls came downstairs a certain small nose was tilted alittle higher than usual. 

Soon there was life and motion over the whole farm. The activity wasvery different from that of ordinary days, for everything was done withextra haste, and all that was done seemed to have some connection withthe cow house. The doors at both ends of this building stood wide open, and every one seemed to have an errand which obliged him to passthrough. The spring air streaming in made the cows turn around in theirstalls, stretch their nostrils, and look out. When Kjersti herselfappeared on the scene, after the girls had begun milking, and talked tothe cows and patted the neck of the bell cow, the creatures at oncerealized what day it was. The bell cow threw up her head and bellowedtill the cow house echoed. That was a signal for all the other cows. They pulled at their chains, swung their tails, and one after another, along the whole row, joined in a manifold bellow of joyful expectancythat shook the entire cow house and seemed as if it would never end. Above the many-voiced chorus could be heard the bellowing of the bigbull, deep and even and good-natured, as if he did not need to exerthimself in the least in order to be heard. 

Although everything went so much more speedily to-day than usual, thetime seemed long to Lisbeth Longfrock. When the farm people went intothe house to eat their early breakfast, she could not understand howthey could sit at the table so long. She finished her meal very quicklyand asked if she might not go and let out the smaller animals, --thesheep and the goats, --so that that would be done. Yes, Kjersti said shemight. In a trice, therefore, she had them out, and as usual theyscattered in every direction, leaping and capering, --all exceptCrookhorn, who seized her chance to slink into the cow house throughthe open door; but Lisbeth was so busy that she did not notice this. 

All at once there came an instant's stillness, as if everythinglistened. Then from the farmhouse the tuneful clanging of a deep-tonedbell was heard, and in a moment this was answered by such a joyfullowing and bellowing, such a sniffing and rattling of chains, that itseemed as if a thunderstorm were passing over the farm; for when theanimals recognized the sound of that deep-toned bell, which they hadnot heard since they were shut up in the cow house the autumn before, they knew that the time for being let out into the open air was closeat hand. 

A formal procession now issued from the farmhouse. Kjersti marched atthe front, carrying the big iron-bound cow collar to which thedeep-toned bell was fastened; next came the head milkmaid, followed bythe under-milkmaid; then the girls who worked in the farmhouse; andthen the two farm hands, with thick sticks, which they afterwards dealtout to the company, giving one to Lisbeth as well as to the rest. Lastof all came Bearhunter, who also wanted to have a part in what wasgoing on. 

When the procession reached the cow house there was again a suddensilence. The cows, one and all, turned their heads toward the people asthey came in, and looked at them with large, expectant eyes. 

The procession then divided into groups, and definite work was assignedto each person. The head milkmaid was to unfasten the cows; Lisbeth andthe under-milkmaid and the housemaids, each with her stout stick, wereto steer the cows out through the door; the farm hands were to stand inthe cow lane to meet the creatures and guide them into the right road(they were to be pastured up in the north meadow) and to separate thosewho fought with each other; and Kjersti and Bearhunter were to watcheverything from the gateway. 

All was ready. The moment for the start had come. 

Kjersti went into the stall of the cow who was to wear the bell. Thecow straightened herself up, lifted her head as high as she could, andthen stood stock-still. She knew very well that she was the principalcow of the herd, and that the first place when they went out and inthrough the cow-house door belonged to her; but she knew also that evenshe had to be on her best behavior when Kjersti, the mistress of thewhole farm, did her the honor of clasping around her neck the cowcollar with its bell, --emblem of dignity and power, --and of unfasteningthe chain that held her in the stall. Kjersti clasped on the bell andunloosed the chain, which fell rattling to the floor; and then the bellcow swung slowly and deliberately out of the stall, like a big, heavyship out of its dock, and wended her way with solemn dignity toward thedoor. She carried her head so high and so stiffly that you could notsee the least swaying of her horns, and her bell gave only a singledecided stroke at each step. 

The next to be let out was the big bull. The head milkmaid unloosedhim, and he sailed out just as stiffly and heavily as the bell cow haddone, with horns so high that they nearly touched the cow-house roof, and so wide apart that they seemed to stretch across the wholepassageway. Lisbeth had never realized before how large the bull was. 

And then, one by one, in regular turn, the rest of the cows marchedout. They were Brindle, Morlik (which means "like its mother"), Goldie, Speckle, Blackie, Pusher, Summer-Leaf, Darkey, Wee Bonny, Trot-About, Wreathie, and Moolley. [7] Wreathie was so named because the white markson her hide looked something like a wreath. 

 [7] Mulley (cow without horns). 

Beyond the cow stalls, now empty, were the stalls of the heifers, whosenames no one quite remembered as yet, and of the half-grown bulls, whodid not have any names at all. 

When it came to the unloosing of the heifers and young bulls, the scenegrew livelier and livelier. They stretched their necks and rubbedagainst their chains. They fell on their knees as soon as the unloopedchains slipped from their necks, and as they sprang up again you couldhear their legs creak, --so stiff were they from standing in the stallall winter. They ran plump against the side wall or up into the wrongpassageway. They dashed noisily against the door, two reaching it atthe same time and trying to rush through together but getting wedged bytheir fat sides; while those who had been set free after them cameclose on their heels, pushing, clashing their horns, butting andbellowing, --until suddenly, the blockade being broken, out rushed thewhole throng. 

Directly in the wake of the heifers and young bulls, to Lisbeth'sextreme surprise, followed Crookhorn, who, kicking up her heels, made aswift dash out through the doorway. 

Outside the cow house, too, all was life and stir. As the animals cameinto the lane, they lifted their heads, sniffed the air from themountain side, and became eager and excited. Stiff-legged old cows, aswell as young calves, kicked up their hind legs and made frolicsomeleaps this way and that. They rushed playfully or angrily at eachother, clashing their horns, and giving a short bellow if worsted inthe tussle; then they dashed off to assail other members of the crowd. Everything combined to form a hubbub of lowing and bellowing, hornclashing and fence creaking, whacking of sticks and shouting of people;while back and forth through all the confusion, with his horns highabove all the other horns, went the big bull, like a great heavysnowplow, clearing the way. Of the whole herd, only one cow stoodundisturbed amid the wild uproar, calmly waiting and looking about. That was the bell cow, whom, of course, none of the other cows dared todisturb. 

At last the head milkmaid came to the front and gave a call. The bellcow threw up her head and with a loud, echoing bellow started to followher. Next came Brindle, still sniffing with anger after her manyencounters. She had got the best of all who were worth getting the bestof, and if she could not be the bell cow, she would, at any rate, standnext to her. 

Directly after Brindle came Crookhorn, with a self-important air andmaking herself as tall as possible. But Brindle was in no mood forseeing the funny side of things to-day, so she lunged out with one ofher long hind legs and gave Crookhorn a blow on the head that made theprideful goat see stars. But Crookhorn merely tossed her head and wenton as if nothing had happened. Such actions, she thought, were probablycustomary among cows. 

The head milkmaid kept on calling, and the cows, one after another, hearing her voice, started toward her. Soon the whole noisy herd, ledby the deep-toned bell and urged by shouts and flourishing of sticks, was going in full swing toward the north meadow. 

Up in the meadow, which they reached after a while, the ground waslevel and there was plenty of room, so that the danger of collisionsand other accidents was lessened. The young creatures danced around inwild play, and those of the cows who had not settled the question ofmastery fought now a battle that was to be decisive for the wholesummer. Soon, however, everything became quiet again, and in a coupleof hours all of the animals, even the worst combatants, were grazingplacidly side by side. 

After this the farm people began to go home, --all except the headmilkmaid and Lisbeth, who were to remain a while longer so as to be onhand in case anything happened. And something did happen. Brindle, whose quiet behavior had been only temporary, soon began to roveuneasily back and forth, sniffing hard. _She_ was really the one whoought to be wearing the bell, she sniffed to herself; and thensuddenly, with a violent rush, she hurled herself at the bell cow. Sucha fight as there was then! The turf flew in all directions. Soon asharp crack was heard, and a short, wild bellow, and one of Brindle'shorns hung dangling. 

Brindle shook her head till the blood splashed; then, giving anotherbellow, she turned and ran the shortest way home as fast as her legscould carry her, never stopping until she had reached the cow-housedoor. There she gave vent to a terrible bellowing, as if she wanted tobring all the farm buildings down over the people's ears. 

 * * * * *

After dinner the calves were let out. Lisbeth had finally named thethree cow calves Yellow Speckle, Redsides, and Young Moolley, but asyet she had found no name to suit her for the bull calf. Lisbeth sawplainly that Kjersti wondered why she had not called any of the calvesafter Bliros (Gentle Cow), but she gave no sign of having noticedKjersti's thought. 

This is the way the calves were induced to leave their pen and to crossthe cow-house floor. To begin with, a good-sized pail with a littlemilk in it was held out to each calf. In their eagerness to get themilk the calves thrust their heads clear into the pails; and when thepersons holding these began to run, the calves ran too, with the pailsover their heads like hats. Outside the cow-house door the pails weresnatched off and there stood the calves, who had never before beenbeyond their pen, in the very midst of the great, wonderful new world. 

The startled creatures gave an amazed look and then began to back, justas if they felt themselves suddenly standing at the head of a steepstairway; but soon they ventured to put one foot carefully forward, then another, and another. It was slow work, one step at a time; but atlength they found that there was firm ground in this new region. Theyconcluded that the world was only a larger calf pen, after all; but itwas a wonderfully light calf pen, and its walls were certainly a longway off. Swish! up went their tails into the air and away theyscampered like the wildest of forest animals. 

Then began a great race in the big field, --from fence to fence, thisway and that, crosswise, and round and round. Every time the calvesjumped over a hillock Kjersti and Lisbeth saw their tails standstraight up against the sky like tillers. Lisbeth thought she had neverseen anything so funny. But they could not keep together long. Theysoon ran off in various directions, and in the evening Lisbeth had togo to the farthest corners of the field with a pail and coax them homeone by one; for of course they did not have sense enough to know whento go home, --they who were out in the world for the first time!

 * * * * *

Lisbeth was lying again in her little room. It was the evening of herfirst working day. She had said her simple evening prayer, as usual, and then stretched herself out on the bed, feeling how good it was torest, for her body was tired through and through. 

What a day it had been! A long day, too, she knew; nevertheless, shecould not imagine where it had gone. She felt that she must think overall that had happened. But drowsiness came stealing upon her and threwthe scenes of the day into confusion. She saw a pair of big horns thatplowed like a snow plow through a swarming crowd, and then she sawBrindle standing in her stall with her head on one side and a bigbandage over one of her horns, looking exactly like an old peasantwoman with a kerchief tied around her head for a headache; and then shethought she saw, written in the air, a couplet that she had once heard:

 Rearing its tail against the sky, Danced the calf on the hilltop high. 

And then Lisbeth Longfrock fell asleep. 

 * * * * *

The next day, with the lunch bag upon her back, Lisbeth Longfrock setout for a forest that lay not far off, taking the sheep and goats withher. She had not succeeded in getting Crookhorn to go along, however. The self-willed goat had taken the shortest cut up to the north meadow, where the cows were again pastured. 

Lisbeth's second working day, like her first, seemed a very long one, for the forest was wonderfully lonesome and still. The little girl hadtime to think of many, many things, --of her mother and Jacob andPeerout Castle; and it must be acknowledged that she cried a wee bit, too. 

CHAPTER V

SUMMER: TAKING THE ANIMALS UP TO THE SÆTER

Upward over the open slope across the valley from Hoel Farm a lengthyprocession was taking its way. 

Kjersti Hoel stood at the window of her room, following the processionwith her eyes as long as she could, for soon it would vanish from theopen slope into the wooded part of the mountain. The herds belonging toHoel Farm were that day being taken up to the sæter, [8] to spend thesummer grazing on the rich grass which grows in sunny spaces here andthere on the mountain heights. 

 [8] Pronounced (approximately) say'ter. 

At the head of the procession rode the milkmaid on the militaryhorse, [9] which for this occasion had a woman's saddle upon its back. The saddle had a high frame, so that it looked almost like aneasy-chair; and the milkmaid sitting aloft on it, dressed in her best, and with a white linen kerchief on her head, was rosy, plump, and alsosomewhat self-conscious, for was not she the most important person inthe company, the one who was to give all the commands?

 [9] In some districts of Norway the farmers are required to keep one or more horses subject to the needs of the government, under certain conditions of use and payment. 

After her came two farm hands, each leading a horse whose back fairlycurved in under its heavy load. Then followed the herds in order ofrank. First came the bell cow, then Brindle with her wounded horn thathad grown on awry, then Crookhorn, then Darkey, and behind Darkey thewhole long train of cows, --all except two, old Moolley and the pet, WeeBonny, who were to stay at home to furnish milk for the people thereand to teach the new calves to follow. After the cows stalked the bigbull, as if acting as rear guard for his herd. 

Next came the goats, hurrying along and trying to get ahead; then thesheep in a tight clump; and behind these, four great pigs and a fewcalves; while at the very end of the train came the under-milkmaid, andLisbeth Longfrock with her lunch bag on her back. 

In the beginning all had gone as gayly as a dance, for almost every onehad pleasant memories of the summer before, and it seemed impossible toreach the mountain top quickly enough; but as they mounted, the waybecame steeper and steeper, and the sun rose higher and higher, burningtheir backs. The pigs began to lag behind, trying to branch off atevery side path so as to get a little nap in the shade or coolthemselves in a mudhole. The sheep and goats, feeling the need ofsomething in their stomachs, slipped aside whenever they spied a youngbirch tree whose leaves they could nibble, or a fence to peep through, or a plot of green grass. The last year's calves, who had not been tothe sæter before, saw no reason at all for hurrying, and made noattempt at it except when the stick was used upon them. 

So Lisbeth Longfrock had to keep rushing off the road into side paths, behind bushes, into forest thickets and boggy marshes, to drag thevarious creatures back into line; and scarcely did she get them safelyinto the road from one side before they slipped out again on the other. 

She had to take off one of her long knitted garters and tie it aroundher waist so that she could tuck her long frock up out of the way; forshe was constantly on the run, coaxing, shouting, and circumventing. 

It was a hard struggle. Her light hair became dripping wet and her facewas as red as a half-ripe mountain cranberry; but Lisbeth did notnotice her discomfort, so absorbed was she in what she had to do. Theunder-milkmaid would return to the farm with the men when the sæter wasreached. It was Lisbeth who was to have the responsibility for thesmaller animals during the whole summer, and who was to bring them homein the autumn fat and glossy. She and the head milkmaid had theirspecial responsibilities, each at her own end of the line, as it were;and even if Lisbeth's was only the tail end, she did not wish to havethe disgrace of being unable to keep it in order. 

The procession continued mounting higher and higher, and soon the wholevalley lay below, deep and wide and delicately green. The fir treesbecame smaller and more scattered, the slender birches grew closertogether. Before long the first specimens of black crowberries and "oldwoman's switches" (dwarf birch trees) were seen; and with that theprocession was up over the crest of the mountain side. 

[Illustration: THE VALLEY AND THE FARMS]

Then, all at once, it seemed as if a heavy weight slipped off; as ifall weariness was smoothed away from man and beast. The whole mountainsent its freshness and peace streaming over them. They were in a newworld. Before them, with its boundless surface broken into level spacesand undulating slopes, lay the mountain top, stretching itself far, faraway, until lost in the deepening blue of a snow-streaked summit. Ifthey looked back, the valley seemed to have sunk out of sight; but onthe mountain top across the valley they could see wide expanses of openland dotted with shining water and grassy sæter districts. 

Drawing a long breath, all gazed silently around. What a tranquillitylay over everything! Of their own accord the animals fell into orderalong the stony road curving endlessly beyond them. They made no moreattempts to branch off into side paths, but walked slowly along at aneven pace. That gave Lisbeth a little time to view her surroundings. She had never seen a place so broad and open. And up here she was tospend the whole bright summer. 

All at once, in the midst of this vastness and space, Lisbeth feltherself so wonderfully little! But she was not at all terrified; sheonly felt very solemn and peaceful. 

She began to think of the future, --of the rest of the day, the comingsummer, and the many summers that would follow. Sometime she herselfwould be big and grown up, like the head milkmaid, whom she could nowsee sitting on the high saddle far ahead. Sometime she herself wouldsit up there, perhaps, and ride at the front. 

The pack horses refused to go slowly now, even under their heavy loads. They forged ahead, passed the mounted milkmaid, and soon disappearedover a distant ridge. The procession followed slowly. Hour after hourit wound its curving way over ridges and brooks, past sæters andshining mountain lakes. Lisbeth had the honor of sitting up in thesaddle and riding awhile, the milkmaid feeling that she would gladlywalk a little. 

Evening began to draw nigh. They took their way high up through a gapin the mountain which they had seen in the distance early in themorning. After that the road began to descend. They met with birchtrees again and one single warped fir tree; and from below they heardthe rushing sound of a large river. 

They reached at last the edge of the sæter valley to which they werebound, and stood still to look down. Below them lay a comparativelylevel space, peaceful and green, with its three sæter huts, belongingto Hoegseth, [10] Lunde, [11] and Hoel farms. From the chimneys of twoof the huts smoke was ascending in the still afternoon air. 

 [10] Pronounce the _oe_ like the _e_ in _her_ and _th_ like _t_. 

 [11] Loond'eh (_oo_ as in _good_). 

The gazers were filled with delight. This, then, was the spot wherethey were to spend the summer! The cows began to bellow. The smalleranimals, one and all, started on a run past the cows and down the hill. 

 * * * * *

Early the next morning Lisbeth was on her way across the mountainpasture with the small animals in her charge. She did not have thelunch bag on her back now, for while she was up at the sæter she was totake dinner at the hut every noon. 

The sunshine was brilliant. The cows had been turned loose and werewalking away on the nearest cow path, going in single file as if strungon a line. The leader's bell rang deeply and regularly, its tonemingling with others quite as deep from the neighboring sæters; and inupon this solemn ringing broke the delicate, brisk dingle-dangle of thesmaller creatures' bells. 

The time had now come when Lisbeth Longfrock was to make her firstentrance into the vast unknown. The milkmaid had told her that whiletending her animals this first day she should not wander too far, lestshe might not be able to find her way back. She was to listen to theother herders and keep near them. The milkmaid did not know whether theother herders were boys or girls this year. 

Lisbeth kept looking back every now and then to keep track of the wayshe had come, and was apparently loath to lose sight of the hut; butthe animals drifted rapidly off in the distance and she had to followso as not to lose sight of them altogether, and after a while, when shelooked back, the hut could not be seen. Around her were only theunending wastes of hill and marsh and the faraway mountain peaks. Howspacious and silent it was! Not a sound was to be heard except that ofthe bells; not even the river's rushing harmonies reached up to whereshe stood. 

She suddenly felt herself so utterly alone and remote and had such alonging to caress some living creature that she went among the flockand petted now this one and now that. The bell goat became so enviousthat it butted the others out of the way and stood rubbing itselfagainst her. 

All at once there came a call, "Ho-i-ho! ho-i-ho!" so loud and clearthat the mountains echoed with it. The goats pricked up their ears, andLisbeth, too, listened breathlessly. The call was so unexpected thatshe had not distinguished from what quarter it came. It sounded near, and yet, because of the echoes, from all directions. 

"Ho-i-ho! ho-i-ho!" This time the call was still louder. Presently sheheard bells, several bells, and then she saw a large flock of sheep andgoats come straggling over the crest of a hill. 

Very likely it was the other herders who were calling. Lisbeth saw twostraw hats rise above the hill, and by degrees two tall boys seemed togrow up out of the hilltop, --boys about as big as Jacob. 

At sight of them Lisbeth felt so shy that she kneeled down and hidherself behind a bushy little mound. 

The boys shaded their eyes with their hands and looked down from thehilltop. 

"Ho-i-ho!" they called, and then listened. "Ho-i-ho!"

No answer. All was still. 

Then one of the boys cried out:

 Oh, ho! you boy from Hoel, don't you hear? If you have pluck, we call you to appear!

They stood awhile, watching. Then they darted forward, turned two orthree somersaults, and ran down the hill toward her, repeating theircall and shouting. Again they stopped and listened, as if uncertain. 

"Ho-i-ho!" Again they challenged:

 If you lie hid behind some bush or stone, Come out and show there's marrow in your bone!

Then the two boys came to the bottom of the hill, where Lisbeth's flockwas, and looked around. No, they did not see any one. The new herderfrom Hoel, who dared to lose track of his flock the first day, must bea reckless young scamp--a fellow it might be fun to get acquaintedwith. Very likely he had heard of their bathing place in the SlopingMarsh. Probably that was where he had gone now. 

Well, they would take his animals with them and go there themselves;but first they would give another call. Perhaps he was not so far awaybut that he might hear if they gave a good loud one. 

"Ho-i-ho!" From far away echo repeated the sounds in "dwarf language, "as the Norwegian boys call it. 

When all was still again, there sounded close at hand, as thin andclear as the peep of a bird, "Ho-i-ho!"

This was from Lisbeth, who, when she heard that they were going to takeher flock away, felt that she ought to call out, although it wasextremely embarrassing. 

The boys stopped short, greatly astonished. From behind the bushylittle mound there arose something small, just like a tiny "hillwoman, " in a plaid neckerchief and a long frock, who stood stock-stilland looked at them with large, shy eyes. 

At sight of her the boys were somewhat abashed. It was a littleembarrassing for them to find that their boastful, taunting rhymes hadbeen directed against a poor timorous "young one, " and a girl at that;but it was exasperating, too, for they had expected to see a comrade oftheir own size. 

Humph! any one could see that Hoel Farm had women folk at the head ofit. The mistress was not willing that even the herder should be a boy. 

If the "young one" had only been bigger, --bigger than themselves, --theycould have shown their contempt for her and chased her; but that littlemidget! no, indeed, grown-up fellows like them did not waste eitherwords or blows on such small fry! It would be a good plan, however, totalk with her a bit and hear whether another herder was not coming totake her place. After that they would have nothing more to do with her. They could get along by themselves for one summer. All that wasnecessary was to frighten her a little, so that she would keep out oftheir way. 

They came over to Lisbeth and stood before her, big-boy-like, withtheir hands in their pockets. Then one of them said, "Are you going tobe the Hoel herder this summer?"

"Yes, " answered Lisbeth. Then, as if to excuse herself, she addedquickly, "Kjersti wanted me to. "

"What is your name?"

"Lisbeth; and Jacob calls me Longfrock. "

"Where are you from?"

"From Peerout. "

"Are you Jacob Peerout's sister? We went to school with him lastwinter. "

"Yes, I am. "

"What a nuisance that Jacob himself did not come! We haven't any use atall for young ones like you up here. "

The speaker, who was the larger of the two boys, stood awhile waitingfor a reply; but Lisbeth did not know what answer to make to his remarkand therefore said nothing. So he continued: "Well, we only wanted tosay to you--I'm Ole Hoegseth and that fellow over there is PeterLunde--that you must keep out of our way. You must not dare to come astep beyond a line running from Pancake Stone down around the SlopingMarsh to the Pointing Stump near the Hoegseth cow path. If you letyour animals graze beyond that line, your brother Jacob, next winter, shall get all the thrashings you ought to have this summer. "

Lisbeth was dreadfully frightened and her mouth began to tremble. Thenthe second boy said to the larger one, "Yes, but Jacob is so strongthat he will get the best of you. "

"Not when I have brought myself into good training. Hoi!" and he turneda handspring. 

"Now you know what Jacob may expect, so take care what you do! We boysare going up to the Sloping Marsh to bathe. Ho-i-ho!"

With shout and call they took their way up over the hill again. At thetop they looked back and then glanced a little dubiously at each other. Lisbeth Longfrock was still standing where they had left her, and--shewas crying!

Lisbeth felt very small and forlorn as she stood there. She certainlydid not want to do anything that Jacob would get a thrashing for. Ifshe only knew where it was that she was not allowed to go! but she hadnot the least idea where either the Pointing Stump or the Sloping Marshlay. All that she could do would be to keep with her animals and findout about these places later. 

Sometime afterwards, when Lisbeth had mounted a small round hill, sheheard the bells of the boys' flocks again. That gave her a fright, andshe began to chase her animals off in another direction. But as sheturned around to do so she saw, far, far down the marsh, two whitefigures running, jumping, and playing leapfrog in the sunshine beside agleaming pond. The boys had let their flocks stray away from them!

Lisbeth dreaded incurring more displeasure, but surely something oughtto be done. There was no help for it; she would really have to takecare of the stray animals for a while. The boys could not be angry atthat, she knew, because the greatest disgrace that can befall a herderis the losing of his flock, and for boys so big as these to go back tothe sæter without any animals would be especially humiliating. 

So Lisbeth went to work gathering the flocks together, jumping up on amound every now and then to see if the boys were not ready to come; butthey appeared to have forgotten everything except their play. 

At length she saw that the boys suddenly stood still and listened, peering about in all directions. Then they started into activity again, snatched up their clothes, put them on in great haste, and started offon a run toward the opposite edge of the marsh. Every little while theywould stop and listen, and then run on again. They were so far off thatthere was no use in Lisbeth's shouting to them or trying to give thecall "Ho-i-ho!"

When the boys reached a round hill that lay on the other side of themarsh, they ran to the top and again peered in all directions for along time. Then, as fast as their legs could carry them, they madetheir way back across the marsh straight toward the small round hillwhere Lisbeth was. As they neared it Lisbeth thought that now was thetime to give the herder's call, for the flocks were on the other sideof the hill and their bells could not be heard by the boys. Her firstcall was too weak. She gave another somewhat stronger. 

The boys stopped and answered. 

Lisbeth called again, "Ho-i-ho!" and then the boys came up the hill. They found it a little difficult to break the silence. It was ratherannoying to be obliged to question that "young one" about their flocks;but there was no other way. 

"Have you seen our animals?"

Lisbeth looked at them pleadingly. "They are here at the foot of thehill. I have been taking care of them, but you must not thrash Jacobfor it. "

The boys looked as they felt, --rather crestfallen. But they had to saysomething, so Ole remarked, as they turned and left her, "Oh, well, we'll let him off for this one time. "

 * * * * *

When Lisbeth went to fasten the gate of the fold that evening PeterLunde came bobbing along outside the fence. 

"You haven't a strange sheep here, have you?"

"No; I have counted mine. "

"Well, perhaps I counted mine wrong. Very likely they are all there. "

The two stood looking at each other for a while; then both grew shy andhad to turn their eyes away. At last Peter said: "Lisbeth, if you wantto, you may tend your flock wherever we tend ours, and you may come toour pond. I understood Ole to say that he is willing, too; but if hemakes any fuss about it, why I _can_ thrash him if I really want to. "

"Yes, I will come gladly, you may be sure. "

"Well, then, I will come after you to-morrow morning, back of the hillhere. "

Lisbeth did not get a chance to say anything more, for Peter was offlike a flash around the corner. He had seen Ole coming. 

Ole came lounging along in his usual fashion, with his hands in hispockets. 

"You haven't seen a strange sheep, have you?"

"No. "

"Humph!"

"Is one of yours missing?"

"Oh, I don't know exactly. Humph! I thought I would tell you that youneed not bother yourself about what I said to-day. I did not meananything by it. It was Peter that made me say it; and if you want meto, I can thrash him for it to-morrow. "

CHAPTER VI

THE TAMING OF CROOKHORN

It was early morning in the latter part of the summer, and the sun wasshining brightly over Hoel Sæter. 

Lisbeth was alone inside the fold, milking goats. All was quiet andpeaceful. Not a bell was heard. The only sounds were the gentle rush ofthe river far below and an occasional soft thud from the cow house whena cow bumped her horns against the wall in getting up. The milkmaid wasinside the cow house, milking the cows. Lisbeth's hands were still toosmall for that work, so it had been arranged that she should haveentire charge of the goats instead of helping with the larger animals. 

Suddenly from the hill above the sæter rang out "Ho-o-i-ho!" and in afew minutes the call was answered a little farther off with a touch ofirritation in the tone, "Ho-o-i-ho!"

[Illustration: UP AT THE SÆTER]

Lisbeth looked up and listened. Then with a smile of happy satisfactionshe went over to the fence and called, "Ho-o-i-ho!" Now she could sendout the tones with vigor, so that they rang back from all the hillsaround; her voice no longer trembled when she answered the big boys'call. 

To-day she knew that they were calling especially to summon her, andthat they dared to come close to the sæter with their animals becausethey had an errand, --something that they had planned with the milkmaidand Lisbeth. 

By the sound of the bells she could tell that the boys were driving theanimals as fast as they could. The boy that was behind--Peter, ofcourse--was provoked at not being first. 

But, if you please, they would have to wait until she had finished herwork. They were out extremely early to-day!

 * * * * *

However strange it may seem, Lisbeth Longfrock, soon after her arrivalat Hoel Sæter, had become a prime favorite with the other herders. Theday after her first painful experiences the boys, as proposed, had mether behind the hill, Peter first and then Ole. No reference was made tothe previous day; it was merely taken for granted that in future shewould be with them. Ole said that she could look after their animals, together with her own, while they went off to bathe. Peter thought shecould, too. So she agreed to the arrangement. 

But the boys did not play very long on the bank of the pond that daywhen they had finished bathing. It was not much fun, after all, to bedown there by themselves. 

So it had come to pass that Lisbeth and her animals never camestrolling over the hill in the morning without meeting the boys. Theygenerally came at nearly the same time, each from the direction of hisown sæter, apparently trying to see who could be the first to give thecall. But when they met each did his best to make out to the other thathe had come there by the merest chance, both sheepishly realizing thatthe very evening before they had put on big-boy airs about "that youngone whom they could never get rid of, " and had said that they would gooff in an entirely different direction the next day, to avoid her ifpossible. 

Often the boys would have athletic contests, turning handsprings andwrestling from one meal-time to another because neither boy was willingto give up beaten. More than once in a single morning or afternoonwould Lisbeth have to remind them to look after their animals, because, completely forgotten by the boys, the flocks had strayed nearly out ofsight. 

Occasionally it happened that one boy would reach Hoel Sæter ten orfifteen minutes before the other and would find Lisbeth ready to setout. In that case the first comer would insist that he and Lisbethshould start out by themselves, urging that the other boy had probablygone somewhere else that day. Such times were almost the pleasantest, Lisbeth thought, for then the one boy had always so much to show herthat the other boy did not know about, --a marshy ledge, white as snowwith cloudberry blossoms, where there would be many, many berries inthe autumn (that ledge they could keep for themselves, --it was notworth while to let the other boy know about everything they found); ora ptarmigan nest with thirteen big eggs in it; or a ridge wherescouring rushes[12] grew unusually long and thick. 

 [12] A species of horsetail rush (_Equisetum hyemale_), having a rough, flinty surface. It is used for scouring and polishing. 

Each boy talked more with her, too, when by himself, and was lessboastful and rough. And the one boy would climb trees and get sprucegum for her, while she would seek scouring rush for him. Scouring rushis something that requires a special knack in the one who is todiscover it, and the boys had never seen Lisbeth's equal in spying itout. Peter said that if there was a single spear growing anywhere, youmight be sure that she would find it; to which Ole jokingly respondedthat, for his part, he believed she could find one even where therewasn't any!

And how many, many things both boys thought of that they could make!One day when it rained Ole made Lisbeth a hat out of birch bark, andthe next day Peter came with a pair of birch-bark shoes for her. Themilkmaid must have laughed when she saw Lisbeth coming home that secondday wearing the birch-bark hat and shoes, and carrying her ordinaryshoes in her hand. Another day Ole gave her a pocketknife. She ought tohave something to whittle with, he thought, and he did not need thatknife because he had one with a sheath that he always wore in his belt. The next day Peter brought her a musical horn that he had made in theevenings from a goat's horn. It had an unusually fine tone. You couldmanage to play that funny tune, "Old Woman with a Stick, " on it after afashion. 

Ole speculated a while as to what he could do to beat that, and then hehit upon an idea, --he would tame Crookhorn!

They had often seen Crookhorn going with the cows as if she were one ofthem; and they knew that though she was Lisbeth's own goat there was nouse in trying to make her go with the other goats. The little girl hadtold them how impossible it had been to manage the creature at thefarm, and that Kjersti had said the men would have to make an end ofher when winter came. 

So Ole offered to tame Crookhorn. He was sure that he could teach herto go with the others. There had never been a goat yet that had notbeen forced to yield when he attempted to master it. 

Yes, indeed, Lisbeth was more than willing for him to try. If hesucceeded, she would gladly give him all she owned. 

No, Ole did not want any payment for doing it; but if she insisted ongiving him something, he would like the goat's horns after the goat wasslaughtered, as it would have to be some day. They would make matchlesshorns to blow upon. 

But Peter, too, wanted to have a share in the undertaking. If the goatproved to be very cross and obstinate, two persons would surely beneeded to tame her. Then they could have one horn apiece. 

Ole did not know whether he would agree to that or not, for it was hewho had thought of the plan. 

Yes, but how could he carry it out? Peter did not believe thatCrookhorn could be made to go with the other goats unless there was astronger goat for her to be fastened to. Ole did not have such a one. It was Peter who had the big billy goat, the only one strong enough forthe task. 

Yes, that was true; so Peter might help in taming Crookhorn if he wouldlend his billy goat. 

Lisbeth, for her part, thought they ought all to help; that was theonly proper way. And her suggestion was finally followed. 

 * * * * *

Ole's taming of Crookhorn was the errand that brought the boys to theHoel Sæter on the morning that Lisbeth and the milkmaid were doingtheir milking so early. 

The two flocks came pushing and crowding over the hill; but as soon asthe animals realized that they were to be allowed to go close to thesæter, they began to run at full speed. It was always such fun to go toa strange place! They would be sure to find something new to see and tostick their noses into, --perhaps a little milk stirabout in the pigtrough, a little salt on the salting stone, or a hole in the fencewhere one could get a chance to squeeze through without being seen. 

The bells clanged, the boys ran about shouting and hallooing and givingtheir musical calls, trying to keep the worst goats in order, butperhaps making a little more noise than was necessary. 

Where all had been so still before there was now the liveliestcommotion. The milkmaid could not resist going to the cow-house door tolook out; and Lisbeth would surely have forgotten to milk the last ofher goats if it had not come over to her of its own accord and stooddirectly in her way as she was going out of the fold. 

When Ole saw the milkmaid at the cow-house door he called out, "Shallyou not let out your cattle soon?"

"Yes; I am just ready to, " answered the milkmaid. "Are you ready, Lisbeth?"

"I am milking my last goat. "

Soon everything was done, and the animals stood waiting to be let out. 

Ole had with him a strong band woven of willow withes, with aningeniously fastened loop at each end. One loop was for Peter's billygoat, the other for Crookhorn. Ole thought it was a very fine apparatusindeed. 

"Where is Crookhorn?"

"In the cow house. "

"Then I had better go in and get her myself. Bring your goat, Peter, and hold him ready. "

Peter called his big billy goat. It knew its name and came at once. 

"Let me see how strong you are, " said Peter. He took hold of its horns, held its head down, and pushed against it. The billy goat bunted, tooka fresh start, bunted again, --they often played in this way, --and sentPeter against the fence. 

"There!" exclaimed Peter, picking himself up; "I rather think thatbilly goat is strong enough to drag any goat along, no matter how big aone. " Peter fairly glowed with pride. 

Ole, too, wanted to try the strength of the goat. Yes, it was anamazingly strong goat. 

Then Ole went into the cow house, and in a few moments came backleading Crookhorn by the band of willow withes. The next step was tofasten the other loop around the billy goat's neck, and behold! therestood the two goats harnessed together. But neither of them seemed tonotice that anything had been done. 

Lisbeth and the milkmaid and the boys waited a while expectantly; butthe billy goat rather enjoyed being looked at, and would not budge solong as they and the flocks were near by. He merely stood still andwanted to be petted. 

So Ole said: "Let your animals out, Lisbeth, and start ours on thepath, Peter. Then we shall see a double-team grazing contest. "

Lisbeth opened the gate and her animals crowded out, taking theircustomary way up over the hill. Peter drove his own flock and Ole'safter them. 

Seeing this, the billy goat thought it was high time for him to bejogging along, so he took a step forward; but something was the matter. He looked back. Who was playing tricks and hindering him?

He saw Crookhorn with all four legs planted fast on the ground and herneck stretched out. 

"Pooh! nothing but that, " thought the billy goat, taking a couple ofsteps forward. Crookhorn found herself obliged to follow, but she laidher head back and struggled. Then the billy goat gathered all hisforce, set his horns high in the air, and tugged at the band. He wouldshow her that he was not to be kept back by any such foolery!

Crookhorn again found herself obliged to follow, but she resisted andresisted with all her might. At length her fore legs doubled up underher and she sank upon her knees; but the billy goat went on as ifnothing had happened, and Crookhorn had to follow on her knees acrossthe whole flat part of the sæter field. 

Lisbeth and the boys shrieked with laughter, and even the milkmaidfound it impossible not to join in. 

When Crookhorn reached the beginning of the hill, where the ground wasmore uneven, she thought it wiser to get up and trot along on her fourfeet; but although she yielded thus far for the sake of her owncomfort, she still continued to struggle against being forced to go atall. 

The animals took the customary path leading farther over the mountain. Little by little Crookhorn seemed to conclude that she must submit tothe inevitable. During the first part of the morning she was sullen andcontrary, merely allowing herself to be dragged along; but as the daywore on and her stomach felt empty and slack, she grew more subdued andbegan to walk quietly forward, eating as she went like any othergoat, --only looking up once in a while when she heard the heavy cowbell in the distance. 

The fun was gone when Crookhorn took to behaving well, so the boysbegan as usual to wrestle and turn somersaults; and this they kept upuntil it was nearly time to go home for their nooning. Then Ole said:"Now let us slip her loose on trial. I think she must be cured by thistime. "

Yes, the others agreed to that. 

So they called to the billy goat coaxingly. He came jogging along withhis big horns straight up and Crookhorn trailing after him. Ole firstset the billy goat free, and then, kneeling down before Crookhorn, hetook hold of her beard. Crookhorn pawed with her feet as goats do whenthey want to get rid of this hold, but Ole would not let go. He wishedto give her a few admonitions first. 

Now that she had found her master, he told her, she need no longerimagine that she was a cow. Hereafter she was to behave like othergoats or she would have him to deal with; and at this he gave her bearda wag, as if to add force to his words. That hurt Crookhorn, and shemade a bound straight at him and sent him rolling backward. Then, passing directly over him, with the willow band trailing behind her, she set out on a trot across the marsh in the direction from which thesound of the cow bell had come. 

Ole scrambled up again, stamped the ground with rage, and started afterher. 

Lisbeth and Peter were already on the way. They shouted and screamed asthey ran, and threatened Crookhorn with all sorts of punishments if shedid not stop; but Crookhorn acted as if she did not understand. Sheran, and they after her. The boys became more and more angry. It hadnever happened before that they had been unable to capture a goat; andbesides, each boy was eager to get ahead of the other. So they ranfaster and faster. Although Lisbeth Longfrock was light-footed, especially with her birch-bark shoes[13] on, she lagged behind. It waslike wading in deep water to try to run in that long frock of hers, which, in the hasty start of the morning, she had forgotten to tuck upin her belt as usual. 

 [13] Lisbeth's ordinary shoes were clumsy wooden ones. 

Soon she caught a last glimpse of the boys as they disappeared over ahill on the other side of the marsh. Peter was ahead (she believed hereally was the faster runner of the two). But she herself was only inthe middle of the marsh. 

So she stopped. Certainly the best thing that she could do was to goback and get the animals together; otherwise all three flocks werelikely to stray away. 

She turned back, recrossed the marsh, and had climbed the hill a littleway when she heard a rumbling and thudding noise, which grew constantlylouder and louder, while the ground seemed to roll in waves under herfeet. What could it be? Around the foot of the hill came a big herd ofhorses[14]--oh, what a big herd! There were horses old and young, andfoals running beside their mothers; horses brown, dun-colored, black, and white; and all of them were so bright and shiny and fat andskittish! They trotted and ran, with heads tossing, --those ahead beingpassed by others, then those behind getting ahead again, --making anoise almost like the booming of thunder. 

 [14] Horses, as well as other animals, are sent up on the mountains to graze during the summer. They roam about at will, and sometimes go home of their own accord at the end of the season, if no one has been sent to fetch them. 

Lisbeth stood still and watched them, half afraid. She had never seenso big a herd before. They noticed her, too, but they did not run ather at all. Only two or three stopped, pricked up their ears, and gazedat her, trying to make out what kind of little creature she could be. Then they ran on again, and in an instant the whole herd had gone past. Lisbeth could only hear the thunder of their hoofs as they gallopedinto the path leading to the sæter. 

But her animals! and the boys' flocks! Naturally the horses hadfrightened them. Lisbeth could see no trace of them anywhere. She ranfrom hill to hill, stopping to listen and then running again. 

It was all of no use; she could not find them. The only wise course forher was to go back to the sæter. 

This was the first and only time that Lisbeth Longfrock went homewithout taking her animals with her. 

But when she reached the sæter there lay the whole flock peacefullywithin the fold, chewing the cud. They had gone home of their ownaccord. The horses that had given Lisbeth such a fright were therealso, walking about and licking up the salt which the milkmaid hadstrewn for them. 

In the afternoon the milkmaids from the other sæters came to inquireafter the boys, for their goats had also come home of themselves longbefore the usual time. 

It was not until much later that Ole and Peter arrived, draggingCrookhorn between them. 

When the milkmaids laughed at them the boys could not help feeling alittle chagrined. That they had let their flocks stray away could notbe denied; but no one could say that they had come home without anyanimal at all, --although two big boys _did_ seem a rather liberalnumber to be in charge of a single goat, however large that goat mightbe. 

Things had gone wrong for that day, Ole acknowledged; but Crookhorn wasnot to think that she had seen the end of the struggle. They would takeher with them again the next day. She should get her deserts. 

But it turned out otherwise. Crookhorn knew better than to let such athing happen. When they took off the willow band she stood still awhilewith her neck stretched up, looking at the horses which were at thatmoment going out of the inclosure. Suddenly she kicked up her hind legsin real horse fashion, and then away she went after the herd as fast asshe could go. 

The milkmaids, as well as the boys, could do nothing but stand and gapewhen they saw her join the horses. 

"Probably she imagines now that she is a horse, " thought they. 

For a while they stood in silence watching the receding herd. Then Olesaid in his dry fashion, "If there had been any elephants here, itwould have been just like Crookhorn to imagine herself an elephant. "

CHAPTER VII

HOME FROM THE SÆTER

Summer, with its light nights and brilliant days, comes rapidly to fullpower on the mountains in Norway. The season is brief but intense. 

It begins with a creeping of light green over the gentle slopes andunending marshes, and a trickling of light green down around each_tue_, or little mound of earth covered with moss and tiny berryplants. Ptarmigans roam about in solitary pairs, murmuring when any onecomes too near their nests; gnats and horseflies buzz through the air;and cows, with tails set straight up, scamper friskily about, trying toescape the irritating stings. 

Over everything lies a thick, warm, dark-blue haze, hindering a freeoutlook. 

But soon come the blueberries, the marsh wool or cotton grass, andlater the cloudberries; and on some fine day when the mother ptarmigansgo out to walk, peeping sounds are heard around them, here, there, andeverywhere. The mother birds scold more than ever, now that their youngones are whirling like so many feathery balls a yard or more upward, and two or three yards forward, and then tumbling down into the heatheragain, head foremost. By this time the cows roam about quietly andmeditatively over the mountain, seeking the juiciest, best-flavoredherbage to nibble; the warm haze melts away and the air becomes sosparklingly clear that mountain peaks miles distant are as delicatelyand sharply outlined as the nearest little mound. Then the cloudberryblossoms fall, and soon the marshes grow yellow and red, the tinyblossoms of the heather color all the knolls and rocky places, thegreenness vanishes, and over the patches of white reindeer moss, whichshine out like snow here and there on the mountain, comes a blush ofred and a tinge of brown. Autumn is now drawing near. 

Much of the time the sun shines brightly, and when it does, howglorious to be the herder of a flock!

But there come days also when the fog spreads itself like a close grayblanket, under which the ground, with its mounds and bushes andheather, creeps stealthily, disappearing a few yards away. And out ofthe fog comes a fine, mist-like rain, which deposits itself in tinygray beads on every blade and every pine needle, so that wherever anyone goes there is a little sprinkling of water. 

In such weather it is far from pleasant to be in charge of a flock. Ifthe animals move forward quietly, the herder must seek shelter underevery bush, with a piece of sacking over his shoulders to shield himfrom the wet. But it is far more likely that he will be obliged to runabout, with the water squeezing in and out of his shoes, trying to keeptrack of his animals; for in weather like this the mushrooms spring upplentifully and the animals scatter eagerly in all directions to findthem, scorning other food when these may be obtained. Sometimes whenthe herder is speeding along the edge of the marsh, a pair of large, powerful cranes, who are on their journey south, will loom suddenlybefore him out of the fog. This startles him greatly, for the cranesseem to the herder much larger than they really are. They look like acouple of great sheep with wings on. 

Later in the season comes a morning when all is glistening white. Alittle snow has fallen during the night, --not enough to last, however;it melts away as the day goes on. But after this the animals no longerlike to go up on the higher parts of the mountain. The cows standlowing at the gate of the sæter inclosure; they know that sooner orlater they will be allowed to slip in there to enjoy the last of themountain's good grazing. The goats look inquiringly backward as theyare let out of the fold. Summer is over. Every one longs to go downagain to the home farm. 

At last a day comes when the gate is opened and the cows rush into thesæter inclosure. They know now that they will not have to go up on thebare mountain again this year. Then the farm hands come up with packhorses, and other horses that have been running wild on the mountainall summer are found and taken home. The packs are tied up; there is agreat washing, a clearing away of rubbish and putting things in orderfor the next summer, and at last _Bufar_ day, the long-expected day ofreturning to the home farm, arrives. 

 * * * * *

On Bufar day Lisbeth Longfrock stood up on the ridge of theturf-covered cow-house roof, taking a final look at the surroundingscene. She was all ready for the journey. Her lunch bag was on herback, her birch-bark hat on her head, and the goat horn which Peter hadgiven her hung on a string around her neck. In her hand she carried astout stick. Within the sæter inclosure the cows and smaller animalswere roving back and forth from fence to fence impatiently. They knewthat Bufar day had come, for along the wall of the sæter hut, in a row, stood the horses' packs, filled with butter tubs, cheese tubs, andcheese boxes; and tied to the fence were the horses themselves. All ofthese had pack saddles on, except the military horse, which stoodforemost among them, bearing a woman's saddle. The farm hands stoodoutside, too, smoking their pipes. They were all ready, and were onlywaiting for the milkmaid, who was inside the hut making the last batchof cheese from the morning's milk, which she could not allow to bewasted. 

While Lisbeth was standing on the ridge of the cow house Ole and Petercame bobbing along past the fence of the fold. They were not soboisterous as usual to-day, and stopped at the gate, looking at Lisbethwithout saying a word at first. Then Peter asked, "Are you going backto the farm to-day, Lisbeth?"

"Yes, I am all ready. "

With one impulse Lisbeth and the boys gazed over the mountain'sfamiliar expanse. 

"The mountain begins to look barren now, " said Peter; "but I shall behere a week longer. "

"So long as that?" said Lisbeth. "And you, Ole?"

"I am going day after to-morrow. "

All three were silent again for a while. Then Lisbeth said: "I supposeI must go with the others now. They surely must be ready. "

She descended from the roof and went over to where the boys were. Theconversation came to a standstill again; they could not think ofanything to say. Finally Peter spoke. 

"Are you coming again next summer, Lisbeth?"

"Yes, if Kjersti Hoel is pleased with me; but that can hardly beexpected, since I am going home without Crookhorn. "

"It would take a horse trainer to look after her, " said Ole. 

Again there was silence. Then Ole said: "We did not go up to Glory Peakthis summer, to see the spot the king once visited. "

"No, we didn't. "

"We two boys are coming here again next summer, both of us. "

"Perhaps we can go to Glory Peak after all then, even if it is so faraway. "

"Yes, we can, " said Ole. "And I can tell you a good deal about theking's visit, for my father went with him and drove. "

"Drove the king's carriage?"

"No, not the king's; the county magistrate's. "

"My father went with him, too, " said Peter, "and drove; so I can tellabout it as well as you. "

"Yes, but whose carriage did he drive? A homely old woman's!"

"But that homely old woman was next in rank to the queen. She was theone who went off to walk with the queen at the foot of Glory Peak. "

Just then came a call for Lisbeth. She hesitated a moment, thenstretched out her little hand and said: "Good-by. May you both farewell. Thanks for this summer. "

"Thanks to you for the same, " said Ole. "We are to meet again, then, next summer?"

"Yes. "

"May you fare well, " said Peter. 

He stood holding her hand awhile; then, thinking he ought to saysomething more, he added, "I will greet Jacob from you, Lisbeth. "

After that the boys vanished along the fence as noiselessly as they hadcome. 

 * * * * *

Inside the sæter inclosure the farm hands were putting the packs on thehorses, and the military horse had been led to the gate. Lisbeth raninto the inclosure, drove her animals together and counted them, certainly for the tenth time that day. Soon everything stood ready forthe homeward march. 

The milkmaid appeared in the doorway, clad in her Sunday best, as onthe day she came. She closed the sæter door with a bang, turned thelarge key solemnly in the lock, took it out and put it in her pocket. That key she would not intrust to any one else; she wanted to deliverit to Kjersti Hoel with her own hand. After trying the door vigorouslyto be sure that it was securely locked, she went to the window andlooked in to assure herself that everything was in order and the fireentirely out. Then, going over to the military horse, she climbed intothe saddle. One of the farm hands opened the gate for her as if she hadbeen a queen, and out she rode. 

After her followed the pack horses, one by one, and the cows in thesame order as when they came up, --the bell cow, Brindle, and the wholelong line. Behind the cows came the smaller animals, and, last of all, Lisbeth Longfrock with a stick in her hand, her birch-bark hat on herhead, and her lunch bag on her back. 

Lisbeth turned and looked at the scene she was leaving. There lay thesæter, desolate now. The mountain, too, appeared lonely and forsaken. Of course she, like all the others, had longed for home during theselast days; but it was strange, after all, for her to be going away fromeverything up here. A little of the same feeling she had had whenleaving Peerout Castle crept over her. How singular that she shouldhappen to recall that sad time just at this moment! She had not thoughtof it at all since coming up on the mountain, --not once during thewhole long summer. 

Nor would she think of it now; there were other and happier things toremember. God be praised, all had gone well at the sæter, and the wholeprocession was on its way home. She was taking her animals safelyback, --all except Crookhorn. Of her she had seen nothing since that daywhen the boys had tried to tame her; but she had heard that far off onthe mountain a big goat went about with a herd of horses. 

 * * * * *

All day long the great procession went on its way over the mountain insteady, plodding fashion. The animals were fatter and heavier than inthe spring; they trod the hills with a brisker and firmer step, andnone showed any sign of being tired or lagging behind. The milkmaid wasrosy-cheeked and plump ("Butterpack" she was always called in theautumn). As she and Lisbeth looked at the procession, one from thefront and the other from the rear, they agreed in thinking that theanimals, as well as the butter and cheese, were such as they need notbe ashamed to take home to Kjersti Hoel. 

Evening was drawing near, when suddenly the road pitched down over theedge of the mountain, the valley began to open before them, and theycould even catch a glimpse of the slope on the other side. Every onelooked over there, but all that could be seen as yet was a strip alongthe uppermost edge. The only one to distinguish a house upon the stripwas Lisbeth Longfrock. Away up and off to one side she saw the settingsun glittering on a little pane of glass in a low gray hut. That hutwas Peerout Castle. 

Then all at once they came out upon the open mountain side, and thewhole valley lay before them, broad and peaceful, with its yellowfields and stacks of grain, its green spaces, and its slope of birchtrees flaming in yellow, with here and there a red mountain ash amongthem. And over across they spied Hoel, --large, substantial, and wellcared for, --with its broad, shining windows and its general air ofcomfort. Smoke was issuing from its chimney, --such an inviting, coffee-suggesting, welcoming smoke! Kjersti had probably hung thecoffee kettle over the fire already, so as to receive them in asuitable manner. 

The whole procession now began to show more life. Every member of itknew that Kjersti Hoel stood over there in the window watching the longline as it curved down the open slope. All moved forward more quickly. The horses hurried ahead; the cows began to trot, the bell cow sendingout an eager Moo-oo! across the valley; the bells jingled merrily; andLisbeth Longfrock trilled a vigorous call through her little goat horn. They wanted every one to hear that the great company of animalsbelonging to Hoel Farm was now coming back again. 

Thus they hastened down to the bottom of the valley and then up theopposite side. It was not long before they were actually at home. 

Kjersti Hoel herself stood at the cow-house door and opened it forthem. The cows recognized her, and each one of them, as they went byher in turn, received a word or a pat on the head; after which, proudand satisfied, they went to their separate stalls, --not a single cowmaking a mistake. They went swiftly, too, for they knew that there wassomething good in the mangers to welcome them. And they neededsomething, surely, for there had not been time to eat anything alongthe road that day. 

When the milkmaid had dismounted from her horse Kjersti took her handand said, "Welcome home!" Then Kjersti went over to the door of thesheep barn, opened that also, and counted the goats and sheep as theywent in; and when Lisbeth Longfrock came following in their wake, Kjersti took her hand also and said, "Welcome home!"

"But, " faltered Lisbeth, "I have not brought Crookhorn back with me. "

"No, I see that you have not; and it is a good thing. Now we shall berid of her capers for a while. You have been a faithful and capablelittle worker, there is no doubt of that. And how you have grown! Why, your long frock is far above your toes now!"

Then the milkmaid and Lisbeth fastened the cows in their stalls, whileKjersti went to watch the unloading of the packs and to look at thetubs and boxes containing the butter and cheese that had been made atthe sæter. 

After that Kjersti came to them again and asked them to "Please walkin, " exactly as if they were grand strangers. And when they had goneinto the house they were invited into Kjersti's own sitting room, bothLisbeth and the milkmaid. Here the table was set with a welcoming meal, and oh, how delicious the food smelled! There were large hot pancakesas thin as paper, and pease bread, and hot new potatoes, --the finestfeast you can give to people just home from a sæter. And Kjerstiherself poured coffee for them and begged them to help themselves. Thenthey had to give an account of everything that had happened on themountain; to tell about the cows, --which of them had given the mostmilk and which of them had stopped giving; about the sheep, goats, andpigs; and about the butter and cheese that had been made. And thenKjersti praised her two servants for their faithfulness and industry, and the trio rejoiced together over the success of the summer. 

That evening when Lisbeth Longfrock again lay stretched out on herlittle bed in her room under the hall stairs and thought back over thesummer and about the mountain, it seemed to her that she had had aglorious time, as delightful as could be thought of; but, all the same, it was pleasant to come home again, too, --especially when one waswelcomed by such an unusually fine woman as Kjersti Hoel. 

 * * * * *

Autumn was passing away. The leaves had fallen and the trees spread outnaked branches into the cold air. In the fields where grain had grownstood only the poles, now bare and slanting, on which the crops hadbeen stacked. The verdure of the meadows was changed to yellowishbrown. 

There was no more food for the animals out of doors, so slaughteringday had come. That is the end of the season for the young herder, foron that day he gives up his responsibility. Thenceforward he is nolonger a person with a special duty; he must be at every one's beck andcall. And when winter comes with its long evenings, when the wood firegleams out over the huge kitchen from the great open fireplace, whilewool is being carded and the spinning wheel whirs, and the farm handsmake brooms out of twigs and whittle thole pins and ax handles, thenmust the herder sit by the pile of twigs and logs at the side of thefireplace and feed the fire so that the rest can see to work while hestudies his lessons. 

By the pile of wood in Kjersti Hoel's big kitchen Lisbeth Longfrock hadher place on the long winter evenings. She studied and listened, andheard so many curious things talked about that it seemed as if theevenings were too short and the days too few, in spite of the long, dark Norwegian winter. Before she knew it spring had come again; andwhen she looked down at her long frock she found that the hem reachedno farther than the tops of her ankles. 

CHAPTER VIII

ON GLORY PEAK

It was again high summer, and the sun shone bright on all the mountaintops when, one morning, an ear-splitting call played on three goathorns rang suddenly out from the inclosure belonging to Hoel sæter. Onecall was thin and fine, the other two were heavier. 

That triple signal meant "Forward, march!" Lisbeth Longfrock, Ole, andPeter were going to take their trip to Glory Peak to see the spot thathad been visited by the king. 

The boys now owned goat horns to blow on, and they were good ones, too;for Lisbeth Longfrock had kept her word about Crookhorn's horns and hadgiven one to each boy. 

After Crookhorn's running off with the herd of horses, things had notgone any better with that proud-minded goat. When she finally camehome, late in the autumn, with the last of the horses, she was soconceited that there was no getting her to live in the barn with theother goats. They had to put her in the cow house; but not even the cowhouse was good enough for her after her summer experiences. Every timeshe got an opportunity, out she bounded, trotting over to the door ofthe stable as if she belonged in there. The stable boy insisted that hehad even heard her neigh. One day, when the men were feeding thehorses, they saw her dash in, and, with her usual self-important air, attempt to squeeze her way into the stall of the military horse. Butthat she should not have done. It was dark, and the military horsefailed to see that it was only Crookhorn at his heels; so up went hishind legs and out went a kick that landed plump on Crookhorn's craniumand sent her flying against the stable wall. That was the last ofCrookhorn. 

It cannot be said that any one, except perhaps Lisbeth Longfrock, sorrowed particularly over her; but Lisbeth could not help rememberingthat Crookhorn had given them milk for their coffee that winter up atPeerout Castle. At any rate, if not much sorrowed for, the queer, ambitious creature was held in honorable esteem after her death. Suchhorns as hers Ole had never seen. Not only were they extremely large, but they gave out a peculiarly fine sound. Any one would know at oncethat they were not the horns of an ordinary goat. There had always beensomething about Crookhorn that no one understood, Ole said. Yes, Peterhad noticed that too. Afterward, when he had thought a little more onthe subject, he said he believed that horses' horns would have exactlythe same sound as those of this remarkable goat, if there were anyhorses with horns!

On the day of the visit to Glory Peak the goat horns, as musicalinstruments, were brand-new, being used that day for the first time. Infact, the trip had been put off until they were ready. 

But new goat horns were not the only things the travelers were providedwith. All three wore their best clothes, and each carried a lunch bagfull of food on his back and a stout stick in his hand. The trip was solong that it would take a whole day. 

Once more they blew their horns, --all three together. The animalslooked up in surprise at the unusual volume of sound, and the milkmaidcame to the cow-house door with a smiling face. Then off the partystarted. The flocks were mingled together to-day, and driven straightahead, --no time for them to graze by the wayside with Glory Peak lyingso far away, blue against the sky. This excursion was a much longer onethan Lisbeth had ever before taken, and even Ole and Peter had been toGlory Peak but once. 

 * * * * *

It was drawing on toward dinner time when they came to the last gentleascent leading to the top of Glory Peak. There the juniper bushes and"old woman's switches" (dwarf birch) grew so high that the animals werequite lost to sight among them. Lisbeth and the boys could only see thecourse of their charges by a wavelike movement that passed over thetops of the bushes and by the sticking up of a pair of horns here andthere. Ole thought that this was a good place to leave the flocks for atime, while they themselves went on ahead. The animals were so tiredand hungry that they would stay there quietly for an hour or so; then, when rested, they would be sure to follow to the peak, for a goat wasnever satisfied until it had mounted to the highest possible point, where it could look about in all directions. Ole's plan was assentedto, and it proved to be a good one. 

Ole led Lisbeth and Peter around a curve toward the north. He wanted toshow them exactly where the king and queen came up on the day of theirvisit. To be sure, they were not really king and queen that day, butthey were on the very point of being: they were crown prince and crownprincess. They had left their horses down on the mountain side wherethe road grew too steep for driving, and had walked the rest of theway. Oh, what a large company they had with them!--the countymagistrate, the district judge, and officers so richly dressed thatthey could scarcely move. Seven or eight of the principal farmers ofthe district were also in the company, and first among these wereNordrum, Jacob's master, and the master of Hoel Farm, who was thenliving. These two wore queer old-fashioned swallow-tailed coats. Allaround over the whole mountain top were crowds of other people gazingat the lively scene. 

"The king looked wonderfully fine, didn't he?" asked Lisbeth. 

"No. The county magistrate looked much finer, and so did the officers, and even the people who waited upon them. But it could easily be seenthat he was the king, for he was a head taller than any of the others. "

"The king must be tremendously strong, " said Peter. 

"Strong! Of course he is! And he must have use for every bit of hisstrength, too, for he has to govern all the others. "

"Was the queen also very large?" asked Lisbeth. 

"No, she was not much larger than an ordinary woman. She was unusuallyearnest and modest-looking, father said. There was not so much fuss andfeathers with her as with the other women folk. "

"No, " said Peter; "the old frump that my father drove laughed even atthe magistrate, and found fault because his hands were too big. "

"Humph!" said Ole; "that _was_ a joke. As if a grown-up fellow shouldnot have big fists! Anyhow, I don't see how she could have seen them, for the magistrate wore his white gloves, although it was high summer. "

Ole resumed the part of showman. 

"Next they came up over this way, --the whole company, close by thatvery stone there; and then the king ran on ahead of them. He wanted tobe the first to reach the top, as one might know. And now I will showyou exactly what he did. Follow me. I will be the king, and you, Lisbeth, may be the queen. Come along!"

Ole walked hastily over the last spur of the ground, the othersfollowing. Then, running the last few steps, they found themselvessuddenly on the very top of the mountain! Ole threw out his hand andstood a long time in silence. 

The others stood still also, involuntarily, impressed by the wonderfulsight. Here and there over the endless expanse of mountain shoneglistening lakes and mountain pools, and away off in the distance rosesnow-clad peaks. On every open slope lay green sæters; and toward thesouth, as far as the eye could reach, were beautiful farming districtsand dark-green, forest-clad ridges. 

Ole, in his character of king, threw out his hand again. "This is themost beautiful spot I have ever seen!" he cried. Then, after a shortpause, "Come, Sophie, and see!" Ole took Lisbeth's hand and drew herforward. 

"Yes, " assented Peter, "that is exactly the way the king did. I haveheard about it, too. "

"Of course it was, " said Ole. "Don't you think I know?"

"What else did he do?" asked Lisbeth. 

"The king and queen then went around and spoke to all the other people, who began to take out long spyglasses and gaze in all directions andask the name of everything. 

"The county magistrate, as the highest of the local officials, stoodnear the king and queen and pointed things out to them. 

"'See that group of distant white peaks, ' said the magistrate; 'andthere to the north is Snow-Cap, although I am not sure that you candistinguish it; and that little black thing farthest away' (Ole pointedas the magistrate had done) 'is the highest peak in Norway. '[15]

 [15] The mountain referred to is Galdhoepiggen. 

"After a while the company turned around, facing the south. When theysaw the view in that direction, --with the great shining lake lying sofar away down there, and the forests stretching farther and farther inthe distance, --even the king himself was astonished. He thought thatthe forests must reach almost to Sweden. He had never seen so vast anextent of forest at one view, king though he was. When they hadfinished looking at the surrounding landscape, Nordrum went to thatpatch of reindeer moss over there and gathered a whole handful of it. Agood many of the people wondered, of course, what he was going to dowith it. He went over to the king, showed it to him, and then said, 'Should you like to see the moss that we mixed with birch bark to makebread during the war?'

"The king took a piece and chewed it. 'Yes, there is bird lime in it, 'he said. 

"Nobody else had moved or spoken since Nordrum picked the moss, --theywere so surprised. At last father heard one of the officers say, 'It isastonishing how tactless these farmers can be!'"

"What is _tactless_?" asked Lisbeth. 

"Oh, I don't know; but no doubt it is something pleasant, for the kingclapped Nordrum on the shoulder and said: 'Thanks, my good man. We canall thank God that there are happier days in Norway now. '

"'That was what I was thinking of when I showed you the moss, ' saidNordrum. 

"Then they took the king to the great heap of stones that was piled upas a memorial of his visit, and asked him to scratch his name upon thestone slab beside it. And so he did, '_O. S. _, ' which stands for Oscarand Sophia; and then the number of the year, too, --see, here it is! Itwas all cut into the slab afterwards, exactly as the king himself hadscratched it. "

The three looked at the letters. Yes, indeed, that was beautifulwriting, almost like print. How remarkably well the king must be ableto write on paper, when he could write like that on stone!

Just then the animals came crowding up over the edge of the mountaintop. They also went to the pile of stones and the big flat stone, likea table, that stood beside it. They began to lie down, for now, aftereating, they wanted to rest. 

"What else did the king and the others do?" asked Lisbeth. 

"There wasn't much more. Oh, yes! after the king had finished writing, he seemed to think that they needed something to eat; so he begansinging to the magistrate a line from an old song that they all knew. The king had a good voice and it rang out with jolly zest:

 Oh, have you a drop in your bottle?

Then they laughed, and came forward with a basket, and set the table onthe stone here. And they had something to drink, and some little cakes, and after that they went away again. And now, " concluded Ole, "I thinkthat we also need something to eat. Let us sit here at the king's tableand have our lunch, too. "

They took their lunch bags from their backs and sat down on the big, thick stone table, while the animals lay around them chewing the cud. When the bags were opened many good things came out. There was butter, and pork, and pease bread, and, in Lisbeth's, cream waffles besides. Ineach bag there was also a bottle of milk, except in Ole's--he hadforgotten his. But that did not matter, for the others had plenty. Theyshared their food with each other, and when Ole wanted milk he merelysang, Oh, have you a drop in your bottle?

And so he got rather more than his share, after all. 

They did not talk much at the beginning of the meal, for it was so goodto get a chance to eat; but when they had eaten quite a while, andtheir jaws began to work more slowly, Peter said, as if he had beenpondering upon it, "I wonder what the king has to eat, --for every day, I mean. "

"Loppered-cream[16] porridge, all day long, " said Ole with conviction. 

 [16] Cream that has been allowed to stand until it has attained a jellylike consistency. Loppered milk is sometimes called bonnyclabber. 

"Yes; but when he wants a little solid food, once in a while?" askedLisbeth. 

Peter had just put a very delicious piece of pork on some pease bread. He looked at it with real enjoyment before eating it. 

"I am sure that he has pork and pease bread, " said he. 

Lisbeth took the last waffle and bit a piece off. Then she said, "Yes;but the queen, --she certainly does not eat anything but cream waffles!"

 * * * * *

While they sat there on the stone, eating and talking, they saw afigure far off on the mountain. It was coming in the direction of GloryPeak. So unusual is it to meet another person up on the mountain thatit gives one a strange feeling when it happens. Soon they could thinkof nothing except this stranger. 

"It must be a man trying to find his horses, " said Ole. 

"Yes, it must be, surely, " said Peter. "But what farmer could besending up for his horses now?"

"Let me see, --it must be Nordrum. "

"Yes, that is true. They have only Old Blakken[17] at home now, andthey will have to begin their haymaking soon. "

 [17] A pet name for the dun-colored Norwegian horses. 

"Yes; but this man is going on a wild-goose chase to-day. The Nordrummare is over on the other side of our sæter. I saw her a fortnightago. "

"If we set him right he can find her to-morrow. "

"Yes, easily. "

They sat still and watched, for they knew it would be a long timebefore the figure could reach them. It is so strange to watch any onecoming toward you on the mountain. He walks and walks, and it can beseen from his motions that he is walking quickly, too, but he does notappear to be getting the least bit nearer. He continues to seem smalland far away, and to increase very slowly in size, because thedistances from point to point are so great. 

The animals had risen and had begun to descend the peak in thedirection of the sæter; but they concluded to lie down again and awaitthe stranger's approach. 

At last he reached them. 

They had guessed aright. He was walking about trying to find theNordrum horses. The boys told him what they knew, and said thatalthough he could not get them that day, he could the next day, surely. 

When the question of the horses was settled the man turned to Lisbeth. 

"Isn't it you who are called Lisbeth Longfrock?"

"Yes, " answered Lisbeth, "they do call me that. "

"Then I bring you a greeting from Jacob, your brother. I have a letterwith me from him. He wants me to bring him an answer, but there is nohurry about it until to-morrow. I shall spend the night at Hoel Sæter, whether I find the horses to-day or not. But now I must look around alittle before evening comes on. I want to be sure that the horses arenot on this side of the sæter. " So off he went. 

Lisbeth was still sitting on the king's table. It was the first timeshe had ever received a letter. Indeed, even Ole and Peter had neverreceived any. They were entirely overwhelmed with respectful surpriseand took their stand at a suitable distance. 

On the outside of the letter stood:

 _Salve Titel. _[18] To the Highly Respected Maiden, Lisbeth Jacob's-daughter Longfrock, at Hoel Sæter, on the West Mountain. 

 At Convenience, by Messenger. 

 Post Free. 

 [18] An expression from the Latin, often used in old-fashioned Norwegian correspondence. It meant, in a general way, "Pardon any error in the address. "

Lisbeth broke the seal solemnly and opened the letter. Then she read, half aloud:

 NORDRUM SÆTER, 15th of this month. 

 _Salve Titel. _

 TO THE MAIDEN LISBETH LONGFROCK. 

 _Good Sister:_ Since time and opportunity permit, I now take my pen in hand to write to you and tell you that I have nothing to write about except that it is a long time since I last saw you. But I have a spare day due to me from Hans. I took care of his animals for him when he went to his mother's burial. It was really two days, but I only reckoned it as one, because it was his mother. And now I will take that day from him on the next Sunday of this month. In case you have a day due to you from Peter or Ole, I write to ask if you cannot take it from them. But if you have not, you can take a day, all the same, because I am stronger; but I did not mean anything by it when I gave Peter a thrashing last winter. So I wanted to write to you and ask if we could not meet at Peerout Castle, for I have not been there since--

 You are requested to come to the meeting in good season. Bring something to eat with you. 

 With much regard, Respectfully, Jacob Jacob's-son Nordrum, Esq. 

 P. S. Please answer. 

That evening Lisbeth Longfrock sat with her tongue thrust into onecorner of her mouth, and wrote her response. 

 HOEL'S SÆTER, 17th of this month. 

 TO BACHELOR JACOB JACOB'S-SON NORDRUM. 

 _Good Brother:_ I will now write a few words to you, and thank you for your welcome letter which I have duly received. I am glad to see that you are in good health. The same can be said of me, except for toothache. But I will gladly come, and the milkmaid says I may be away over night, because it is too far. And so Ole and Peter can each have a day from me. For I have not had any day from them. They wrestle almost all the time, but Peter is nearly as strong. 

 I must now close my poor letter to you, with many greetings from them. But first and foremost are you greeted by me. 

 Your affectionate sister, Lisbeth Jacob's-daughter Longfrock. 

 P. S. Excuse the writing. Burn this letter, dear. 

CHAPTER IX

THE VISIT TO PEEROUT CASTLE

Late on Saturday evening Lisbeth Longfrock went jogging slowly up overthe hilly road to Hoel Farm. The milkmaid had given her leave to go tothe farm and to stay away until Monday evening. 

She had risen early that day, for she would not think of such a thingas leaving the sæter before she had done her morning chores, and milkedthe goats, and let out the cows. And she had had to do this very early, not only because she was in a hurry to get away, but also because sheknew that Ole would not oversleep himself after having insisted sostrongly that he should take care of her flock the first day. She hadbarely finished when Ole came. Peter was not with him; but she had hada talk with Peter the evening before, and he was quite as well pleasedto take her flock on Sunday by himself, and then on Monday he and Olecould watch all the flocks together. 

Ole had been very modest and ceremonious with Lisbeth as he bade hergood-by. He had shaken hands and asked her to greet Jacob from him, andto say that he, Ole Hoegseth, would not keep close account of thesedays Lisbeth was taking, since Jacob really needed to speak with hissister. He did not know, of course, that Peter had said the very samething the evening before. 

And then she had given her animals over to Ole's care and had begun herlong walk down the mountain. She walked and she walked, hour afterhour. She had now gone over this sæter road several times, but hadnever before noticed that it was so long as it seemed to-day. Sherested by a brook, took out her lunch, ate it and drank some water withit, and then set out again. In order to forget how slowly time waspassing, she began to count her steps, first by tens and then byhundreds, and each time she had finished counting, she looked back tosee how far she had walked; but this did not avail in the least, so shemade up her mind to count to a thousand. When she had counted almost upto a thousand, she could not remember whether it was eight or ninehundred she had had last, so she counted four hundred more in order tobe altogether certain that she had counted enough. 

But even that did not make the time pass any more quickly, and she didnot reach the point where she could look down into the valley until thesun was setting. The shadow had begun to creep up on the opposite side. Above the dark shadow line the slope was still bathed in the rosyevening sunlight, but the shadow steadily ate its way upward. 

Then Lisbeth forgot to count her steps any more. What fun it would beto try to reach the sunshine again before the shadow had passed Hoel, which lay shining so brightly up there!

She went down the long slope on a run; but, run as fast as she might, it took time, and when she had reached the bottom of the valley andstarted up the hilly road on the other side, the sun had gone down. Shecould only catch its last gleam through the tops of the spruce trees, and a last tiny reflection as it left the window of Peerout Castle. 

She stopped to get her breath after running. It was so still and warmand close down there in the valley, --so different from what it had beenup on the mountain. It seemed as if the earth sent out a deep breaththe moment the sun went down, --a strange, heavy fragrance that madeher, all at once, feel anxious and downhearted, just as if she had donesomething wrong which she could not remember. Then it came into hermind that she ought to have sent word to Kjersti Hoel that she wascoming. People in the valley were always afraid that something was thematter when a person came from the sæter unexpectedly; and it would betoo shameful for any one to give Kjersti Hoel a fright. 

That was the reason she was now jogging so slowly up over the hillyroad leading to Hoel Farm. She was in hopes that some one would catchsight of her, or that at least Bearhunter would give warning of herapproach; for then they would see that she was not coming in haste, andthat she therefore could not be bringing any bad news. 

But no one caught sight of her, and no one was stirring on the farm; soshe would have to go right in, after all. 

Yes, Kjersti Hoel was really startled when she saw her. Lisbeth had notime to offer a greeting before Kjersti said: "What in the world! Isthis a mountain bird that has taken flight? There is nothing the matterat the sæter, is there?"

Lisbeth made haste to answer: "Oh, no, indeed! I was to greet you fromthe milkmaid and say that you must not be frightened at seeing me, foreverything is going very well with both man and beast. I have only comedown to make a visit and meet Jacob, my brother. "

"God be praised!" said Kjersti. "And now you are heartily welcome. "

At these words all Lisbeth's downheartedness vanished, and she feltonly how festive and cozy it was to be at home again. And Kjersti wasin the best of humors. She gave Lisbeth something good to eat, andtreated her with as much ceremony as if she had been the milkmaidherself. When the time came for Lisbeth to go to bed, Kjersti went withher all the way to the little sleeping room under the hall stairs, which looked just as neat and orderly as when she had left it. AndKjersti sat on the edge of the bed and asked after every single one ofthe animals, --she remembered them all. And Lisbeth told abouteverything. There was only one provoking thing that she shrank fromconfessing (it might as well be acknowledged first as last, however, for it was sure to come out sometime), and that was her mistake innaming one of the calves. She had called it Young Moolley, [19] but thename had proved not at all suitable, for the calf's horns had begun togrow, although Lisbeth had done her best to prevent it by strewing saltupon them. 

 [19] See note on page 45. 

 * * * * *

The next day was Sunday, and Lisbeth thought it certainly began wellwhen no less a person than Kjersti Hoel herself came out into thelittle hall room carrying a big tray with coffee and cakes on it, forLisbeth to indulge in as she lay in bed. Such grandeur as that Lisbethhad never before experienced. She scarcely believed that such a thinghad ever happened to the milkmaid herself. And what was more, when shehopped into her long frock Kjersti said that she must hurry up andgrow, for there would be a new dress for her as soon as this one hadcrept up to her knees. And although Lisbeth had not said a word aboutwhere she was going to meet Jacob, it seemed just as if Kjersti knewthat, too; for she made up a package with a remarkably fine lunch init, and told Lisbeth that she must treat Jacob to some of it, becausehe would probably have to go back to Nordrum Sæter that evening andwould not have time to come down to Hoel. But after the lunch was putup Kjersti did not seem to see any necessity for further haste. Infact, she thought that it would not be possible for Jacob to get toPeerout Castle very early, because he would have to come all the wayfrom Nordrum Sæter that morning. So, finally, Lisbeth had to showKjersti her letter and point out the place where it said, "You arerequested to come to the meeting in good season. " Then, of course, Kjersti understood that there was no time to spare. 

Shortly afterward Lisbeth was on her way to Peerout Castle, Bearhunterfollowing her up the road to where the slope of birch trees began; thenhe turned around and jogged home with the blandest and prettiest ofSunday curls in his tail. 

The valley lay before her in its quiet Sunday-morning peace. No one wasout on the road or in the fields. Here and there in the farmhousesacross the valley could be seen a man leaning against the frame of thedoorway, bareheaded, and in shirt sleeves as white as the driven snow. From all the chimneys smoke was slowly arising in the still air. Lisbeth looked involuntarily up at Peerout Castle. There everythingappeared gray and desolate. No smoke ascended from its chimney; and thewindow eye that gazed out over the valley looked as if it was blind, for the sunlight did not shine upon it now. And that brought to mind ablind person whom Lisbeth had once seen and whose strange, empty eyesmade her shiver. She felt just the same now, and her pace slackened. She did not wish to get to the house before Jacob did. 

When she finally reached Peerout Castle the first thing she saw was thepine branches that had been nailed to the gateposts the last time shewas there. They stood in their places still, but they were dry, and thepine needles had fallen off. She glanced hastily at the door of thehouse. Yes, the pine trees stood there, too, just the same, but afresher twig had been stuck in the doorlatch, --some one had evidentlybeen there since that last day. The path that led from the gate to thedoor and from there over to the cow house had vanished; grass coveredit. The cow-house door had fallen off, and around the doorposts hadgrown up tall stinging nettles. No trace was to be seen of the foot ofman or beast. 

Lisbeth had rejoiced at the idea of coming back to her old home. It hadnever entered her mind that Peerout Castle could be anything but thepleasantest place in the whole world to come to. Now, on the contrary, she felt all at once very, very lonely, more lonely than when on themountain or in the forest. She felt like one who, afraid of the dark, is obliged to walk in it; as if every step must be taken warily, thatno creaking be heard. 

Without realizing it she veered away from the castle and the cow house, feeling that she would rather go over to the big stone by the brook, where she and Jacob used to have their playthings. Perhaps it was notso desolate there. 

When she came to the heather ridge she saw Jacob already sitting on thestone. At the sight of him Lisbeth felt as if there was life again inall the desolation. She was so happy that she was about to run towardhim; but then she remembered that such behavior would not be suitableat a ceremonious meeting like this, and that really it was so long atime since she had seen Jacob that he was almost a stranger to her. When he saw her, he jumped down from the stone and began to brush hisgray breeches with his hands and to set his cap straight, --he wore acap with a visor now, and not a straw hat like hers. Both of them wereas embarrassed as if they were entire strangers to each other, and theycould not look each other in the eye while shaking hands. He made aheavy bob with his head, while she courtesied so low that her longfrock drooped down to the ground. After that, each dropped the other'shand and they remained standing a long time, looking around. It was noteasy to find something to say, although both had fancied that they hada great deal to talk about. At last Jacob thought of something. Helooked about for quite a while longer, and then said, as if he hadweighed the matter deliberately and thoroughly, "It is delightfulweather to-day. "

"Yes, really delightful. "

"If it holds out a fortnight longer, it will not be bad weather forhaying. "

"No, it will not be at all bad. "

"But we can scarcely expect that. "

"Oh, no! scarcely. "

Then there was silence again, for not much more could be said on thatsubject. Lisbeth stole a look at Jacob. She thought of saying somethingabout his having grown so large; but then again it did not seem to herquite proper for her to speak first, he being the elder. The package offood caught her eye, --she could certainly begin to speak about that. 

"Kjersti Hoel sent you her greetings, and bade me ask if you would nottry to put up with the lunch she has sent to-day. "

"Yes, thank you; but I have some with me, too. "

"You must be hungry after your long walk. "

"Yes, I can't say that I'm not. "

"Then we will set the table here on the stone. "

Little by little Lisbeth set out on the stone all the good things whichKjersti had put in the package; and then she said, as she had heard wasthe custom when one entertained strangers, "Be so good as to draw upyour chair, Jacob. "

And Jacob hesitated, also according to custom, and said, "Oh, thanks!but you should not put yourself to any trouble on my account. "

They sat down. Ceremonious manners were kept up during the first partof the meal, and Lisbeth did not forget to say "please" whenever it wasproper. But when Jacob had eaten one of Kjersti's pancakes (a large, very thin kind, spread with fresh butter or sweetmeats) and was justbeginning on the second, he forgot that he was at a party, so to speak, and said quite naturally and with conviction, "That was a remarkablygood pancake!"

"Yes, of course; it is from Hoel. "

At that it was as if they suddenly knew each other again; as if it hadbeen only yesterday that they had kneeled on the bench under the windowand looked over the valley and made up their minds where they wouldlike best to live when they went out to service; as if they had neverbeen parted from each other. And an instant after they were in eagerdispute about which was the better place to live at, Nordrum or Hoel. Agree upon that question they could not; but when Jacob's appetite hadbeen more than satisfied he finally admitted that they were both fineplaces, each one in its own way, and that, at any rate, those two werethe best in the whole valley. 

And now there was no end to all they had to talk over together and totell each other. Jacob told about Nordrum and the Nordrum Sæter and thegoats there; and Lisbeth told about Ole and Peter, and gave Jacob theirgreetings. She had much to tell about them both, but Jacob thought itwas queer that she had more to say about Ole than about Peter; forwhile Ole was a straight-forward fellow, it could not be denied that hewas a bit of a boaster. 

Then they talked about their future. Jacob was going to stay at NordrumFarm until he was grown up, and perhaps longer. Nordrum had said thatwhen Jacob was a grown man and married he could take Peerout Castle, with the right of buying it as soon as he was able. But Jacob thoughtthat very likely Nordrum meant it only as a joke; and anyway it was alittle early for him to be thinking about marriage. Nordrum was gettingon in years, however; he would be sure to need a head man about theplace by that time. Lisbeth said that she was going to stay at Hoel. She was as well off there as she could expect to be, for Kjersti wasexceedingly kind to her. Lisbeth did not say anything about herambition to become a milkmaid. Indeed, that goal was so far off thatshe did not dare to set her heart upon reaching it. 

When they had talked thus freely for a while they began to look aroundand call to mind all the plays they used to play and all the placesthey used to frequent. There, right by the castle itself, they had hadtheir cow house with its pine-cone animals--why, yonder lay the bigbull even now! And there, on the other side of the heather ridge, hadbeen their sæter, where they had driven their animals many times duringthe summer. And there on the hill Jacob had had his sawmill, thatLisbeth was never to touch; and farther down she had had her dairy, where he came and bought cheese in exchange for planks made out ofcarrots that he had sliced in his sawmill. Not a stone or a mound couldbe seen the whole way up to the stony raspberry patches on Big HammerMountain that did not have some memory connected with it. 

The brother and sister now felt themselves much older than when theyhad lived at Peerout Castle. Lisbeth thought that Jacob had grown to bevery large, and he secretly thought the same about her. It wastherefore like holding a sort of festival for them to be visiting thescenes together and talking of their former life as of something longgone by, saying to each other now and then, "Do you remember?" What istalked of in that way assumes unwonted proportions and appears to bewithout flaw. 

Thus they went about the whole day, --they had even been close up to BigHammer itself, --and it was already late in the afternoon when theyagain drew near Peerout Castle. They did not seem to be in any haste toreach it. They lingered by brook and stone to say, "Do you remember?"often both at once and about the same thing. They chased each other inaimless fashion. Their chief idea seemed to be to think continually ofsomething new to do, so that there should come no silent pause, and sothat the time of getting back to the castle should be put off as longas possible. Neither of them had yet mentioned a single memoryconnected with the castle itself or with the cow house. They had notvisited either of these places yet, and they had avoided all mention oftheir mother. 

But now they knew that the time had come when these sad things could beavoided no longer. They dragged themselves slowly down over the lastridge, talking more rapidly and nervously, and with loud and forcedlaughter. Then suddenly their laughter ceased as if it had been cutstraight across, --they had come out on the ridge just back of the cowhouse. They became very, very quiet, and stood awhile with heads castdown. Then they turned toward each other and their eyes met. It did notseem at all as if they had just been laughing, --their eyes were sostrangely big and bright. While they stood looking at each other therecame suddenly the "klunk" of a bell over from Svehaugen. At that Jacobshook his head, as if shaking himself free from something, and said ina most indifferent manner, "Do you think that is the Svehaugen bell wehear over there?"

Lisbeth answered as unconcernedly as she could, "Yes, it is; I rememberit. "

"What cow do you believe they have at Svehaugen now for their homemilking?"

"We could go over there and see whether it is--Bliros. "

That was the first time since her mother's death that Lisbeth hadspoken Bliros's name aloud. But to do that was easier than to name hermother. 

It was not long before Lisbeth and Jacob were on their way over toSvehaugen. They had gone round the castle and the cow house withoutgoing very near them, --it was not worth while to tread down the grass, Jacob said. As they had expected, they found Bliros at Svehaugen; shewas standing close by the gate. And they really thought that she knewLisbeth again. They petted her, and talked to her, and gave her wafflesand pancakes. It was just as if they wanted to make amends for nothaving had courage to stir up the memories connected with their oldhome itself. Jacob's heart was so touched at the last that he promisedto buy Bliros back and give her to Lisbeth as soon as he was grown up. At that Lisbeth could contain herself no longer. She put her armsaround Bliros's neck, looked at her a long time, and said, "Do youbelieve, Jacob, that Bliros remembers mother?" And then she began tocry. 

That question came upon Jacob so unexpectedly that at first he couldsay nothing. After a moment's struggle he, too, was crying; but hemanaged to declare with decision, "Yes; if she remembers any one, itcertainly must be mother. "

CHAPTER X

SUNDAY AT THE SÆTER

Five summers had passed away since Lisbeth Longfrock first went up onthe mountain; and no one who had not seen her during those years couldhave guessed that she had grown into the tall girl sitting by herselfone Sunday on the stone which, so far back as any herder couldremember, had been called the Pancake Stone, and which lay hidden awayin a distant and lonely part of the mountain. She had grown so tallthat the long frock, now used as a petticoat, came above her knees, andshe no longer wore the birch-bark hat and birch-bark shoes. On thisspecial Sunday her Sunday kerchief was on her head, and she sat with abook in her lap; for in the winter she was to go to the priest to beprepared for confirmation and in the spring she was to be confirmed. The reading did not progress very rapidly. The book had sunk down intoher lap, and her calm blue eyes, now grown so womanly and earnest, wereroving from one to another of the dear familiar places about her. Herflock lay quietly around the stone, chewing the cud. Indian summer wasnear its close. The sky was high vaulted and the air clear and cool. Asfar as the eye could reach all things were sketched in sharpestoutline. Hills and marshes already glowed in autumnal tints, for thesemake their triumphal entry on the mountains earlier than below. The sunshone tranquilly and, as it were, a little coolly also. Everything wasvery still. Not even the sound of a bell was heard, for the animalswere taking their afternoon rest; and no movement was discernibleexcept far, far away, where Lisbeth spied a falcon flapping out fromGlory Peak. 

Just as it was now had Lisbeth seen the mountain at the close of eachsummer all these years. It had become familiar and dear to her, and shethought to herself how unchanging it was through all its variableness, while so much else altered never to be the same again. For much hadchanged since she first sat on this same stone and looked out over thissame landscape. Few of the animals she now took care of had belonged toher original flock; the oldest had gone out and new ones had come in. The unlucky Morskol (Mother's Moolley) was now a full-grown cow, withhorns of more than usual beauty. The former milkmaid was gone andanother had taken her place. Ole and Peter, with whom Lisbeth inearlier years had tended her flock almost daily, were her companionsno longer. They had not been up at the sæter since they wereconfirmed, --two years ago. Ole had even sailed to America. Lisbeth hadmissed the boys very much, and had many a time been lonely during thelast two summers, for no new herders had come from the Hoegseth orLunde farms. At home, too, at the Hoel Farm, there had been changesamong the people, and Bearhunter had become blind. Lisbeth herself nolonger occupied her old place by the heap of firewood in the greatkitchen on winter evenings, but sat beside Kjersti on the woodencarving bench; that is, she sat there when she did not have to studyher catechism or learn her hymns to be ready for school the next day. 

And now still further changes were in store for her. This was to be thelast summer she would be sitting up here tending her flock. What wouldcome next? Kjersti Hoel had not said anything to her about thefuture, --perhaps Kjersti would not want her any longer. But Lisbeth putthese thoughts aside, --she would not allow her mind to dwell on suchperplexing subjects when all was so delightfully peaceful and beautifularound her. Whatever her lot might be, or wherever she might go, of onething she was certain, --she would never forget these mountain scenesnor this stone which had always been her favorite resting place, especially since she had been so much alone; and she gazed around heragain. 

As her eyes wandered about she caught sight of a man far off on themarsh, sauntering along in her direction, stopping once in a while andstooping down, apparently to pluck an occasional cloudberry, for theywere now beginning to ripen. This sent her thoughts into anotherchannel. 

Who could it be coming over the marsh? Not a man looking for horses, for no one goes out for that purpose on Sunday; nor a cloudberrypicker, for the berries were not yet ripe enough to pay for the troubleof seeking. Surely it was some one who had made the ascent of themountain for pleasure only. What if it should be Jacob! She had notseen him since the last autumn, and he had said then that he would comeup to see her this summer. Nevertheless the young man did not look likeJacob; and Jacob, not being very well acquainted on the westernmountain, would not be trying to find the Pancake Stone. Yet thisperson was steering his course exactly toward where she sat, and it wasplain that he knew the marsh thoroughly, --where the cloudberries grew, and where it was not so wet but that you could get across. It could notpossibly be----? She blushed the instant she thought of the name, andat the same moment the stranger disappeared behind a hill, so that shesaw no more of him for the time. 

Involuntarily she tied her kerchief freshly under her chin, stroked herlight hair under the edge of the kerchief, and smoothed out the foldsin her skirt. Then, sitting with her back half turned to the quarterwhere he might be expected to appear, she took up her book and bent herhead over it as if reading. 

Shortly afterward a young man shot up over the hill behind her. He hadon brand-new gray woolen clothes, a "bought" scarf around his neck, andtop-boots outside his trousers. He was not tall, but his figure waswell knit and manly. In his youthful face, on which the merest shadowof down could be distinguished, was set a pair of brown eyes, trustingand trustworthy. He stopped a moment and looked down at the open spacewhere Lisbeth sat upon the stone with the flock of animals around her. It was evident that he had a memory of the scene, --that he had seenthat picture before. Lisbeth did not look up, but she knew he wasthere, --felt in her back, so to speak, that he was standing theregazing at her. He smiled and then swung his course around so as toapproach her from the side, and so that the animals might have time tobecome gently aware of his presence and not scramble up in a flurry. Silently he drew near to her, until at last his shadow fell upon herbook. Then she looked up and their eyes met. At that both of themflushed a little, and he said hastily, "Good day, Lisbeth Longfrock. "

"Good day. Why, is it you, Peter, out for a walk?"

They shook hands. 

"Yes; I thought it would be pleasant to have a look at the old placesagain; and since Jacob was coming up to visit you, I made up my mind tokeep him company. "

"Is Jacob with you?"

"Yes, but he is waiting down at the sæter, for he was tired. We wereout early to-day, and tomorrow we are to take home a pair of nags toHoegseth Farm. He sent you his greeting and will see you this evening. "

"Were you sure that you could find me?"

"Oh, yes! I knew just about where you would be in such weather. And, ofcourse, it is more fun for me to ramble around here than for him, Ibeing so familiar with the region. "

He sat down beside her on the stone and gazed slowly around. 

"Does it look natural here?"

"Yes, everything is unaltered. It seems only yesterday that I was heretaking care of the Lunde flocks. But I hardly recognized _you_ again. You have grown so large. "

"Do you think so?"

"Yes. But still it is two years since I last saw you. "

There was a short pause. Then Peter continued: "I walked over SlopingMarsh, by our bathing pond. The water has all run out. "

"Yes, it has. "

"I wondered if it would not be a good plan for me to build the dam upagain, so that you could use the pond. "

"No, you need not do that, for I have my bathing place somewhereelse, --a place that no one knows about. "

"Oh, have you?"

"Yes; I had it the last year that you and Ole were here, too. "

"So it was there you used to be on the days that you kept away fromus?"

"Yes, sometimes. "

The animals began to get up and stray off, thus attracting attention. Lisbeth made Peter look at the older goats to see if he recognizedthem, and she was glad to find that he did remember them all. Then shetold him about the new ones; but soon that topic was exhausted andthere was apparently nothing more to talk about. They still remainedseated on the stone. Then Peter said, "You haven't that birch-bark hatany longer, have you, Lisbeth?"

"No; it was worn out long ago. "

"But what is it you have on this string?"

He took hold carefully of a string she wore around her neck, and, pulling it, drew out from her bosom the little goat horn he had givenher. 

"I did not think you would have that horn still, " said Peter. 

A deep blush covered Lisbeth's face at the idea of appearing childishto Peter. She hastened to say, "Oh, yes; I carry it with me sometimes. "

"I have mine, too. It is the only thing I have left from my herdingdays. " And he drew one of Crookhorn's horns out of an inner pocket. "Shall we try them?"

Then they both laughed and played "The Old Woman with a Stick"together, as they had so often done in the old days. It did not soundas if either of them had forgotten it in the least. When the tune wasfinished there was another pause. At last Lisbeth said, "I must lookafter the animals a little now, or I shall lose track of them. "

"Can't you let them go home alone to-night? It is time for them to seekthe fold, and they will surely find the way safely. Then we can walk tothe sæter more at our leisure. "

"Yes, I will gladly. I can trust them to find their way home, I amsure. "

Again there was silence for a time. Then Lisbeth rose, saying, "I thinkwe must go now. "

Peter did not stir. He merely said very quietly: "Can't you sit alittle longer? There was something I wanted to ask you. "

Lisbeth bowed her head and seated herself again without speaking. 

"I have a greeting to you from Ole. I received a letter from him afortnight ago. He asked me very particularly to give you hisgreetings. "

"Thank you. Is all going well with him?"

"Yes, it seems so from his letter. He has a good place and earns largewages. "

"Ole deserves it. He grew to be a fine fellow. "

"Yes, he did. He asks me whether I will go to America in the spring. Hewill send me a ticket, if I will. "

On hearing that Lisbeth looked up at Peter for an instant, then droopedher head again without saying a word. Peter continued: "It was that Iwanted to ask you about. Do you wish me to go?"

A dead silence ensued, during which Peter sat looking inquiringly ather. For a long time she was motionless; then, suddenly lifting herhead, she fastened her blue eyes upon him and said, "No, I do _not_wish you to go. "

 * * * * *

There was no more conversation on that subject, and soon they were ontheir way to the sæter. They went around by all the familiar, memorableplaces, including both the bathing pond and Pointing Stump; and allthese places had so many reminders for them of the time when theywatched their flocks together there, that more than once they said howmuch they pitied Ole, who would perhaps never be able to come to Norwayagain. The sky arched high and clear above them, the mountain stretchedbeyond them with its unending, silent wastes; and Lisbeth and Peterfelt strangely buoyant and glad. Although they had made no agreement, they felt as if they had a hidden bond between them--as if they two hada wonderful secret that no one, not even Jacob, could share. 

CHAPTER XI

LISBETH APPOINTED HEAD MILKMAID

It was the first Sunday after Easter, early in the morning. Lisbeth satby the small table in her little sleeping room, with one elbow leaningon the table and her hand under her chin, while she stared down at abig black book which lay open before her. The book was the NewTestament, and Lisbeth's lips moved softly as she read. That morning, for the first time in several years, she had not gone into the cowhouse. Kjersti Hoel had said that she was to have a couple of hours inwhich she could be alone. No one was to disturb her. 

She sat there somewhat stiff and helpless, in a long black dress with astrip of white in the neck. The dress seemed to her rather tight, sotight that she held her elbows close to her side and hardly dared tobend her back. It was the first time she had had a close-fitting dresson, --her usual costume being a jacket and skirt. Her light hair wasdrawn smoothly back and twisted into a knot at her neck. That was forthe first time, too. She was a trifle paler than usual, and her lips, as she moved them, were dark red and dewy; but her eyes shone withpeace. All in all, she was beautiful, as she sat there in her littleroom waiting for church time to come. This was the day that she was tobe confirmed. 

A knock was heard at the door, and in stepped Kjersti Hoel. She alsowas dressed in her very best, --an old-fashioned black dress with agathered waist, and a freshly ironed cap with a frill around the faceand strings hanging down. In her hand she carried the big psalm book, ahandsome one printed in large type, which she used only on the greatestoccasions. On top of the psalm book lay a neatly folded pockethandkerchief. 

Standing still for a moment and looking earnestly at Lisbeth, Kjerstisaid, "Do you think you are ready now, Lisbeth?"

Lisbeth answered quietly, "Yes, I think so. "

"Then it is time for us to start. Come, let me tie your kerchief, sothat your hair will not get untidy. "

She tied the kerchief on Lisbeth's head and then they went slowly outthrough the hall way. Outside, at the door, stood the broad wagon withthe military horse harnessed to it. 

"You may come and sit up here by me, Lisbeth, " said Kjersti. 

So they both got into the wagon and drove off. Not a word was spokenthe whole way. As they drove down the hill from the farm and out on themain road, they were encompassed by all the effervescence of thespring, --its myriads of sights, sounds, and odors. The brooks andrivers rushed tunefully along, birds by the thousands were singing andcalling, insects were buzzing, trees and plants of many sorts werepouring their fragrance over the whole valley; and above it all stoodthe sun, shedding down its glittering light. But these things failed toarouse in Lisbeth the feelings they usually awakened. They had, instead, the effect of a roar and a disturbance, of somethinginharmonious that caused her to quiver with discomfort. Involuntarilyshe drew nearer to Kjersti on the wagon seat. She felt a longing forone thing only, --silence. Thus they drove for a while along the sunlitvalley road. 

Then suddenly a broad wave of sound came rolling toward them. Thechurch bells were adding their tones--broad, peaceful, sure--to thegeneral chorus. They did not drown the sounds of the spring, but tookthem up, as it were, and ordered them, harmonized them, used them as agentle accompaniment; so that the whole seemed like a great psalmsinging and organ playing. 

At the sound of the bells there came to Lisbeth a feeling of peace, solemnity, and holiness, such as she had never known before. She feltlifted up. A change came over the world about her: everything becamelighter, loftier, as if prepared for a sacred festival. She felt amighty gladness within her. 

From that time on she had but a confused consciousness of what tookplace. On arriving at the church she thought that the gathering ofpeople around it had never been so large or so reverent in demeanor, and that the church had never looked so tall and shining. 

As she went inside and walked up the church aisle she felt very erectand free. The same wonderful light was within the church, too. And whenshe looked down the lines of those who were to be confirmed with her, as they stood with bowed heads on each side of the middle aisle, shethought that their faces were strangely radiant. 

When the priest came into the chancel it seemed to her that he was muchlarger than ever before, and that his face was, oh, so mild! He beganto speak; and though she did not really hear or understand what hesaid, she felt that it was something great and good, and it thrilledher like music. 

As soon as the psalm singing began she joined in with a stronger voicethan usual, her breast swelling involuntarily. When it came her turn tobe questioned she hardly knew whether she had heard what the priestasked or not, but she was sure, nevertheless, that her answer, whichcame forth clear and firm, was the right one. And when she knelt downand gave the priest her hand, as the ceremony required, it seemed toher that the awkward figures in the old altar pictures smiledbenignantly upon her. 

She did not come wholly to herself until the confirmation ceremony wasentirely over and she had gone to her seat beside Kjersti Hoel in oneof the church pews. 

As Lisbeth drew near, Kjersti took her hand and said half aloud, "Mayit bring you happiness and blessing, Lisbeth!"

Lisbeth stood a moment, looked up at Kjersti as if just awakening, smiled, and whispered softly, "Thanks, Kjersti Hoel. "

Then, when the service was over, they walked out of church. 

Outside the church door stood Jacob and Peter. They lifted their capsto Kjersti and shook hands with her. Afterward they shook hands withLisbeth, lifting their caps to her, too, which had not been theircustom before her confirmation. They also said to her, "May it bringyou happiness and blessing!"

After that Kjersti and Lisbeth walked about the grassy space in frontof the church. They made slow progress, because there were so manypeople who wanted to greet the mistress of Hoel and to ask what girl itwas that she had presented for confirmation on that day. At last theyreached the broad wagon, to which the horse had already been harnessed, and, mounting into it, they set forth on their homeward way, returningin silence, as they had come. Not until they had reached home didKjersti say, "You would like to be alone awhile this afternoon, too?"

"Yes, thank you, " responded Lisbeth. 

 * * * * *

In the afternoon Lisbeth Longfrock again sat alone in the little roomin the hall way. Bearhunter, who had now become blind, lay outside herdoor. Whenever he was not in the kitchen, where, as a rule, he kept tohis own corner, he lay at Lisbeth's door, having chosen this place inpreference to his old one on the flat stone in front of the house. Tolie on the doorstep where so many went out and in--and nowadays theywent so rudely--was too exciting for him; but Lisbeth always steppedconsiderately. 

As Lisbeth sat there in her room she was not reading in any book; infact, she was doing nothing at all. Spread out on the bed before herlay her long frock, which she had not used that winter. It looked verysmall and worn. 

When she had come into her room, where the afternoon sun fell slantwiseupon the coverlet of her bed, picturing there the small window frame, she had had a wonderful feeling of peace and contentment. It seemed toher that there was not the least need of thinking about serious thingsor of reading, either. She felt that the simplest and most naturalthing to do was merely to busy herself happily, without putting herthoughts on anything in particular. She had no earthly possessions ofvalue, but she did have a small chest which she had received in thesecond year of her stay at Hoel, and in this chest there was a tinyside box and also a space in the lid where she had stored away thelittle she owned that seemed worth keeping. She had pulled the chestforward and opened it. To take the things out, look at each one, andrecall the memories connected with them was very pleasant. 

There was a good-for-nothing old pocketknife that had been given to herby Ole the first summer on the mountain. There was a letter from Ole, too, that she had received the last autumn, and that no one knew about. In it he had asked if he might send her and Jacob tickets to Americaafter she had been confirmed. She had not answered the letter yet, butshe would do it soon now, and thank him, and say that she was notcoming, --for she knew that she could never leave Norway. 

And then she took out the goat horn that Peter had given her. She wasseized with a strong desire to play on it, but did not dare to, becauseit would sound so strange in the house. Next to the place where thegoat horn had lain was a silk neckerchief that Peter had given her forChristmas. He had sent it by Jacob. She herself had not seen or spokenwith Peter since that Sunday last year when he had found her on themountain, until to-day at the church. 

And there was the letter she had received from Jacob in regard to theirmeeting at Peerout Castle. It was the only letter she had ever had fromhim, --Jacob was not one to write much; but she had a few small giftsthat he had sent her. 

Down at the very bottom of the chest lay a kerchief that she had nevertaken out before, --her mother's kerchief. It seemed to Lisbeth that nowwas the first time she had really dared to think about her mother. Shetook out the kerchief and spread it on the bed; and when, as she didso, her eye caught sight of her old long frock hanging on the wall, shespread that, too, on the bed. Then she seated herself and gazed uponthese simple objects. The time had arrived when it was possible for herto look back without becoming hopelessly sorrowful; when she couldponder over the rich memories which these poor relics hid, --thememories from Peerout Castle not being the least precious. She satnourishing these thoughts a long time, beginning at the beginning, asfar back as she could remember, and going forward to this very Sunday. The memories came easily and in regular succession, and all of themwere good memories. Everything that had seemed hard at the time eitherhad been forgotten or was seen now in a softer light. 

Suddenly there came a knock at the door; and before Lisbeth had hadtime to conceal the things, or presence of mind enough to rise from herchair, in walked Kjersti Hoel. 

Lisbeth saw that Kjersti noticed the things at once, but she was not inthe least embarrassed, for Kjersti only smiled kindly and said: "I seethat you are thinking about your mother to-day, Lisbeth, and that isright; but now come with me into my room. There is something I wish totalk with you about. "

Lisbeth was half alarmed at this, for never before had Kjersti spokenso seriously to her; but she rose quietly and did as she was bidden. 

Kjersti went ahead, through the kitchen and across to the door of herown room, Lisbeth following close behind her. The others in the kitchenlooked at them curiously, wondering what was going to happen. 

Once in her room, Kjersti took a seat beside the table and askedLisbeth to sit at the opposite side. Then said Kjersti: "You are nowgrown up, Lisbeth Longfrock, and hereafter you will be free to decidethings for yourself. I have kept the last promise I made to yourmother, and I can to-day say that it has been only a pleasure for me todo so. You have turned out well, as may be expected of every good girl;if you do as well in the future, I really believe that your motherwould be satisfied with both you and me. But from to-day I have nolonger any right to decide things for you. You must decide for yourselfwhat you will do and what you think is right. I will therefore askyou--and you are to choose with entire freedom--whether you wish tostay here with me any longer, or whether, now that you are to earn yourown living, you would rather try something else. I can add that Ishould like very much to have you stay here. "

For a while there was a deep silence. Then Lisbeth looked up with bigtears in her eyes and said, "I should like to stay with you, KjerstiHoel, as long as you are pleased with me. "

"That is what I thought, and therefore I have also thought of anotherthing. Of course you are very young yet, but it is not always unwise toput responsibility on young shoulders. You have shown yourself sofaithful and capable, not only at the cow house but at the sæter aswell, that I have no fear in intrusting both to your care. If you wishit to be so, I will now appoint you head milkmaid at Hoel Farm. "