in her surprise, forgot to
say "Ah," but kissed the clever little maid instead.

"She'll be proud," said the boys, "because she is so wise. Let us go by
ourselves and play,"--and away they ran.

"Come," said Olga to Hansa; "though they have run away, they will not
be happy without us,"--which wise remark showed that she knew boys
pretty well; and the two little maids went hand in hand, and sat down
beside the boys.

"We have no room for _two_ girls here," said Olaf, and he gave poor
Hansa a very rough push.

"What can you do to make us like you?" said Erik.

"I can tell stories," said Hansa. "Listen!"

And she told them a wonderful tale, far better than grandmother's
Sunday best one.

"That is a very good story," said Olaf, when it was finished, "and you
are not so bad--for a girl. But still, if my father had not bought you,
I should have owned a reindeer for my sledge to-day."

"And I should have had a fur coat and boots, to keep me warm next
winter," said Erik.

At this, Hansa opened her bright eyes very wide, and looked curiously
at the boys for a moment, then said: "Did you wish for those things?"

"We have wished for them all our lives," said Erik; while Olaf, too
sore at his disappointment to say a word, gave Hansa a rude slap
instead.

That night, when all were sleeping soundly, little Hansa arose,
dressed, and stole softly from the hut. The sun was shining brightly,
and it seemed as if the path over which father Peder had led her showed
itself, and said, "Come, follow me, and I will lead you home!" And so
it did, safely and surely, though the way seemed long, and her little
feet ached sorely before she had gone many miles. But she kept bravely
on, till at last her father's tent appeared in sight. Then her heart
failed her.

"I hope father is not home," said she, "else he will beat me again. I
only want my Niels."

And she gave a curious little whistle that Niels had taught her as a
signal; but no answer came back. So she crept gently up to the tent,
drew aside the scarlet curtain that hung before the opening, and looked
in.

Meanwhile, let us go back to Haakon at the fair.

As father Peder led Hansa away, he turned again to the booth, and being
soon joined by some friendly Lapps, spent the night, and far on into
the next day, in games and wild sports (such as abound at the fair)
with them.

At last, a thought of home seemed to come to him, and, heedless of all
cries and exclamations from