the door-sill. But a creature like
that the woman had never seen before. She couldn't believe anything else
but that it was Goa-Nisse himself; and in her terror she dropped the
shears, clasped her hands--and forgot to hold on to the goosey-gander.

As soon as he felt himself freed, he ran toward the door. He didn't give
himself time to stop; but, as he ran past him, he grabbed the boy by the
neck-band and carried him along with him. On the stoop he spread his
wings and flew up in the air; at the same time he made a graceful sweep
with his neck and seated the boy on his smooth, downy back.

And off they flew--while all Vittskoevle stood and stared after them.

IN OeVID CLOISTER PARK

All that day, when the wild geese played with the fox, the boy lay and
slept in a deserted squirrel nest. When he awoke, along toward evening,
he felt very uneasy. "Well, now I shall soon be sent home again! Then
I'll have to exhibit myself before father and mother," thought he. But
when he looked up and saw the wild geese, who lay and bathed in Vomb
Lake--not one of them said a word about his going. "They probably think
the white one is too tired to travel home with me to-night," thought the
boy.

The next morning the geese were awake at daybreak, long before sunrise.
Now the boy felt sure that he'd have to go home; but, curiously enough,
both he and the white goosey-gander were permitted to follow the wild
ones on their morning tour. The boy couldn't comprehend the reason for
the delay, but he figured it out in this way, that the wild geese did
not care to send the goosey-gander on such a long journey until they had
both eaten their fill. Come what might, he was only glad for every
moment that should pass before he must face his parents.

The wild geese travelled over Oevid's Cloister estate which was situated
in a beautiful park east of the lake, and looked very imposing with its
great castle; its well planned court surrounded by low walls and
pavilions; its fine old-time garden with covered arbours, streams and
fountains; its wonderful trees, trimmed bushes, and its evenly mown
lawns with their beds of beautiful spring flowers.

When the wild geese rode over the estate in the early morning hour there
was no human being about. When they had carefully assured themselves of
this, they lowered themselves toward the dog kennel, and shouted: "What
kind of a little hut is this? What kind of a little hut is this?"

Instantly the dog came