ve the boat out from shore.
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 shore, 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. Nobody 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 sigh