n she would be near the sea again, which she dimly remembered
from her childhood with Granny. And they would have done with
everything here, and perhaps get rid of the rag and bone name, and
shake off the curse.

Then they had to decide what to take with them. Now that it came to
the point, it was dreadful to part with one's possessions. When they
had gone through things together, and written on Kristian's slate
what was to be sold, there wasn't much put down. They would like to
take it all with them.

"We must go through it again--and have no nonsense," said Lars
Peter. "We can't take the whole bag of tricks with us. Money'll be
needed too--and not so little either."

So they went over the things again one by one. Klavs was out of the
question. It would be a shame to send him to strangers in his old
age; they could feed him on the downs. "It's useful to have,"
thought Lars Peter; "it gives a man a better standing. And we can
make a little money by him too." This was only said by way of
comfort. Deep down in his heart, he was very anxious about the nag.
But no-one could face the thought of being parted from it.

The cow, on the other hand, there was quite a battle about. Lars
Peter wished to take it too. "It's served us faithfully all this
while," said he, "and given the little ones their food and health.
And it's good to have plenty of milk in the house." But here Ditte
was sensible. If they took the cow, they would have to take a field
as well.

Lars Peter laughed: Ay, that was not a bad idea, if only they could
take a lump of meadow on the cart--and piece of the marsh. Down
there, there was nothing but sand. Well, he would give up the cow.
"But the pig we'll keep--and the hens!"

Ditte agreed that hens were useful to keep, and the pig could live
on anything.

The day before the auction they were busily engaged in putting all
in order and writing numbers on the things in chalk. The little ones
helped too, and were full of excitement.

"But they're not all matched," said Ditte, pointing at the different
lots Lars Peter had put up together.

"That doesn't matter," answered Lars Peter--"folks see there's a
boot in one lot, bid it up and then buy the whole lot. Well, then
they see the other boot in another lot--and bid that up as well.
It's always like that at auctions; folks get far more than they have
use for--and most of it doesn't match."

Ditte laughed: "Ay, you ought to know all about it!" Her father