Part 17 (1/2)

The stones at the edge of the lake were wet and slimy. Petter Kloed clambered into the boat with great care.

”Look out for yourself, you landlubber!” said Karsten. Then he pressed an oar hard against a stone to shove the boat out from sh.o.r.e.

Everything was to go at full speed, you see, but the oar slipped and Karsten went head over heels into the water. It was only by a hair's breadth that we escaped having that flat, rickety boat turn upside down with us all. I can tell you I was thoroughly frightened then. I have always heard that there is no bottom to these mountain lakes, but that the water goes straight through the earth! Although we were scarcely more than a fathom's length from sh.o.r.e, the water was deep black, and you couldn't see any bottom.

”Oh! Karsten! Karsten!”

His head bobbed up between the water-lilies and broad green leaves, and Olsen hauled him up into the boat.

”Ah-chew! Pshaw! Ah-chew! that horrid oar!” sneezed and scolded Karsten, as soon as he got his breath. ”Horrid old boat! Horrid old water!

Ah-chew!”

”Now we must row fast,” said Trond--”so that this body doesn't get sick, he is so wet.” And Trond and Olsen began rowing briskly over the water.

But Karsten lay in the bottom of the boat with Andrine's and my raincoats over him, looking awfully fierce and gloomy. I can't tell you how tempted we were to tease him, but we were so high-minded and considerate that we didn't do it. Of course, I might have teased him myself, but if Petter Kloed had tried it, he would have had me to reckon with. Karsten was furious if we even spoke to him.

”Are you cold?” I asked.

”Hold your tongue,” said Karsten.

Trond and Olsen rowed so that the sweat ran down their faces, and soon there we were, across. We saw Goodfields saeter above the hill and began running, all four of us. n.o.body was to be seen outside the hut, and we nearly frightened the life out of Augusta, the milkmaid, when we stormed in upon her. But when she had gathered herself together, she laughed and her white teeth fairly glistened.

”Now this is grand! I never could have thought of anything like this!”

said Augusta, the milkmaid.

Then Karsten had to be undressed and put into Augusta's bed, and all his clothes were hung by the hearth and Augusta built up such a hot fire to dry them that they made everything steamy. Suddenly she remembered that the son from Broker farm was staying at a near-by saeter just now.

Perhaps he had some clothes that Karsten might borrow. Olsen was sent over there and came home with some things. It was mighty good that Karsten could get up, for he wasn't very agreeable while he lay in bed, you may be sure.

What a sight he was when he was dressed! I shall never forget it. With a jacket that reached below his knees and Augusta's kerchief on his head--oh, he did look so funny! But not the least shadow of a smile did we dare allow ourselves, for he would at once have flown under the sheepskin bedclothes again, crosser than ever. That's the way Karsten is, you see.

Oh, pshaw! A fine rain had begun, the mountains were perfectly black, and patches of fog lay all around.

”Perhaps you'd like to fish,” said Augusta; ”they usually bite in such weather.”

Trond and Olsen had begun to cut the gra.s.s around the hut, and Petter Kloed and Karsten started off with fis.h.i.+ng-rods over their shoulders.

You should have seen Karsten with the fis.h.i.+ng-rod and with the kerchief on his head.

Andrine and I wanted to help Augusta get dinner, for it was exactly like playing in a doll-house, only much more fun! Augusta made some cream-porridge and her face shone like a polished sun--with the heat and the anxiety that the porridge should be good. We had salt in a paper cornucopia, milk in wooden bowls, and s.h.i.+ning yellow wooden spoons to eat with.

What fun! Even if the rain were trickling down the window, we were enjoying ourselves tremendously.

Well, now you shall hear what a hullabaloo there was at the saeter that afternoon.

It had begun to grow dark, for it was the last of August. Trond and Olsen had gone to another saeter to see some friends of theirs.

Immediately after dinner Petter and Karsten had gone out to fish again, because before dinner they had caught only a baby trout about as long as your finger. However, Karsten broiled that, insides and all.

Just as Augusta, Andrine and I were milking out in the barn, we heard a scream that I shall never forget. I thought it was Karsten's voice, and I was so frightened I didn't know what to do with myself. The whole moor was so dark that nothing was to be seen. There came another scream, and without a word Augusta ran out on the moor. But an instant after Karsten came rus.h.i.+ng around the corner of the barn, with face pale as death and his hair standing straight up.

”A bear! A bear! He is after me! Oh, help! Oh, oh!”