e fjeld, he flung himself into the air in a
marvellous manner, and turned over twice before coming down, but partly
because he had broken our bottle of milk, and partly because there was
something on his mind. I waited patiently, knowing that it would come
out at last, as indeed it did. "You see," said he, hesitatingly, "some
travellers give a drink-money to the guide. It isn't an obligation, you
know; but then some give it. Now, if you should choose to give me
anything, don't pay it to the landlord for me, because then I won't get
it. You are not bound to do so you know but _some_ travellers do it,
and I don't know but you might also. Now, if you should, give it
directly to me, and then I will have it." When we reached Vik, we called
Peder aside and gave him three marks. "Oh, you must pay your bill to the
landlord," said he. "But that is your drink-money," I explained. "That?"
he exclaimed; "it is not possible! _Frie dig ved lifvet_," &c., and so
he sang, cut a pigeon-wing or two, and proceeded to knot and double knot
the money in a corner of his pocket-handkerchief.

"Come and take a swim!" said Peder, reappearing. "I can swim ever since
I fell into the water. I tumbled off the pier, you must know, and down I
went. Everything became black before my eyes; and I thought to myself,
'Peder, this is the end of you.' But I kicked and splashed nevertheless,
until my eyes opened again, wide enough to see where a rope was. Well,
after I found I could fall into the water without drowning, I was not
afraid to swim." In fact, Peder now swam very well, and floundered about
with great satisfaction in the ice cold water. A single plunge was all I
could endure. After supper the landlady came in to talk to me about
America. She had a son in California, and a daughter in Wisconsin, and
showed me their daguerreotypes and some bits of gold with great pride.
She was a stout, kindly, motherly body, and paid especial attention to
our wants on finding where we came from. Indeed we were treated in the
most friendly manner by these good people, and had no reason to complain
of our reckoning on leaving. This experience confirms me in the belief
that honesty and simplicity may still be characteristics of the
Norwegians in the more remote parts of the country.

We bade a cordial farewell to Vik next morning, and set off on our
return, in splendid sunshine. Peder was in the boat, rejoiced to be with
us again; and we had no sooner gotten under way,