tes' voices, and the
splash of the waters against the rocky walls of his singular prison--
came deadened and changed to his ear; yet he heard enough to be aware
how long his enemies remained, and when they were really gone.

It was a prison indeed, as Rolf reflected when he looked upon his broken
skiff. He could not imagine how he was to get away; for his friends
would certainly never think of coming to look for him here: but he put
off the consideration of this point for the present, and turned away
from the image of Erica's distress when he should fail to return. He
amused himself now with imagining Hund's disappointment, and the reports
which would arise from it; and he found this so very entertaining that
he laughed aloud; and then the echo of his laughter sounded so very
merry that it set him laughing again. This, in its turn, seemed to
rouse the eider-ducks that thronged the island; and their clatter and
commotion was so great overhead that any spectator might have been
excused for believing that Vogel islet was indeed bewitched.

CHAPTER EIGHT.

A SUMMER APARTMENT.

"Humph! How little did the rare old sea-king think," said Rolf to
himself, as he surveyed his cave--"how little did Swein think, when he
played this very trick, six hundred years ago, that it would save a poor
farm-servant from being murdered, so many centuries after! Many thanks
to my good grandmother for being so fond of that story! She taught it
thoroughly to me before she died; and that is the reason of my being
safe at this moment. I wish I had told the people at home of my having
found this cave; for, as it is, they cannot but think me lost; and how
Erica will bear it, I don't know. And yet, if I had told them, Hund
would have heard it; or, at least, Stiorna, and she would have managed
to let him know. Perhaps it is best as it is, if only I can get back in
time to save Erica's heart from breaking. But for her, I should not
mind the rest being in a fright for a day or two. They are a little apt
to fancy that the affairs of the farm go by nature--that the fields and
the cattle take care of themselves. They treat me liberally enough; but
they are not fully aware of the value of a man like me; and now they
will learn. They will hardly know how to make enough of me when I go
back. Oddo will be the first to see me. I think, however, I should let
them hear my best song from a distance. Let me see--which song shall it
be? It mus