n't mean that," said Oscar; "Fani showed me that this morning. I
mean from the end of the meadow-land across the high-road there."

Elsli was quite sure that Mrs. Stanhope owned nothing beyond the
high-road.

"Do you see that little hill over there?" said Oscar, pointing in that
direction. "There's a wind-mill up there; see how finely the big wings
go turning round in the wind, like huge banners waving for a festival,
and inviting people from all sides to come and rejoice together. All
the people who are to come to our celebration might camp out around the
foot of that hill, and the speaker could stand up above there on that
platform, and those huge flags would wave to and fro behind him and show
where the festival was taking place, to all the neighboring country!"

Oscar uttered these words in such a tone of enthusiasm that his
companion caught the infection; but she hesitated.

"Yes, it would be fine," she said; "but don't you think we should have
to ask the miller's leave?"

Oscar thought this would not be at all necessary, as the meeting would
do no harm to the mill or to the grass, which was evidently very short.
He would go over and inspect the place himself.

"How is the banner getting on, Elsli?" he asked presently.

"Oh, I forgot it entirely!" said the girl, somewhat startled. "It is
all ready, and I meant to put it in your bedroom to welcome you. You
see, Oscar, I finished it; because Aunt Clarissa said that it would be
prettier without a motto, if I put a wreath of Alpine roses on the Swiss
flag, and so I embroidered one upon it."

But this did not suit Oscar at all; he wished to have his motto, his
verses, over which he had spent so much trouble and had had so many
discussions. He had no mind to drop it now; and he looked as if he had
suffered a severe loss. Elsli saw his disappointment, and she hastened
to propose a remedy. Why not put the motto on the other side of the
banner? Oscar could print the verse in large letters on a piece of
paper, and she would fasten it upon the banner, on the side opposite the
Alpine roses. That was a clever thought. Oscar's spirits rose again,
and the banner would be really in the end far handsomer than he had
expected.

"You are the smartest girl I know, Elsli," cried the lad; and this
unexpected praise brought the color into Elsli's cheeks, for she was
little accustomed to notice, much less to commendation.

"How many Swiss have you found and invited to join our