the scholars wished to make room for
him; he on his part looked about for a long time; while the other
children whispered and pointed, he turned in every direction, his cap
in his hand, his book under his arm.

"Well, what now?" asked the school-master, who was again busied with
his pipe.

Just as the boy was about turning toward the school-master, he espied,
near the hearthstone close beside him, sitting on a little red-painted
box, Marit with the many names; she had hidden her face behind both
hands and sat peeping out at him.

"I will sit here!" cried Oyvind, promptly, and seizing a lunch-box he
seated himself at her side. Now she raised the arm nearest him a
little and peered at him from under her elbow; forthwith he, too,
covered his face with both hands and looked at her from under his
elbow. Thus they sat cutting up capers until she laughed, and then he
laughed also; the other little folks noticed this, and they joined in
the laughter; suddenly a voice which was frightfully strong, but which
grew milder as it spoke, interposed with,--

"Silence, troll-children, wretches, chatter-boxes!--hush, and be good
to me, sugar-pigs!"

It was the school-master, who had a habit of flaring up, but becoming
good-natured again before he was through. Immediately there was quiet
in the school, until the pepper grinders again began to go; they read
aloud, each from his book; the most delicate trebles piped up, the
rougher voices drumming louder and louder in order to gain the
ascendency, and here and there one chimed in, louder than the others.
In all his life Oyvind had never had such fun.

"Is it always so here?" he whispered to Marit.

"Yes, always," said she.

Later they had to go forward to the school-master and read; a little
boy was afterwards appointed to teach them to read, and then they were
allowed to go and sit quietly down again.

"I have a goat now myself," said Marit.

"Have you?"

"Yes, but it is not as pretty as yours."

"Why do you never come up to the cliff again?"

"Grandfather is afraid I might fall over."

"Why, it is not so very high."

"Grandfather will not let me, nevertheless."

"Mother knows a great many songs," said Oyvind.

"Grandfather does, too, I can tell you."

"Yes, but he does not know mother's songs."

"Grandfather knows one about a dance. Do you want to hear it?"

"Yes, very much."

"Well, then, come nearer this way, that the school-master may not see
us."

H