-day. Think what it would be to bring home Rolf, or some
good news of him. We would have a race up to the seater afterwards to
see who could be the first to tell Erica."

"Gently, gently, boy! What is Rolf about not to come home, if he's
alive?"

"That we shall learn from him. Did you hear that he told Erica he
should go as far as Vogel islet, dropping something about being safe
there from pirates and everything?"

Peder really thought there was something in this. He sent off Oddo to
his work in the little meadow, and himself sought out Madame Erlingsen,
who, having less belief in spirits and enchantments than Peder, was in
proportion more struck with the necessity of seeing whether there was
any meaning in Hund's revelations, lest Rolf should be perishing for
want of help. The story of his disappearance had spread through the
whole region; and there was not a fisherman on the fiord who had not, by
this time, given an opinion as to how he was drowned. But Madame was
well aware that, if he were only wrecked, there was no sign that he
could make that would not terrify the superstitious minds of the
neighbours, and make them keep aloof, instead of helping him. In
addition to all this, it was doubtful whether his signals would be seen
by anybody, at a season when every one who could be spared was gone up
to the dairies.

As soon as Hund was gone out after dinner, the old man and his grandson
put off in the boat, carrying a note from Madame Erlingsen to her
neighbours along the fiord, requesting the assistance of one or two
rowers on an occasion which might prove one of life and death. The
neighbours were obliging. The Holbergs sent a stout farm-servant with
directions to call at a cousin's, lower down, for a boatman; so that the
boat was soon in fast career down the fiord,--Oddo full of expectation,
and of pride in commanding such an expedition; and Peter being relieved
from all necessity of rowing more than he liked.

Oddo had found occasionally the truth of a common proverb; he had easily
brought his master's horses to the water, but could not make them drink.
He now found that he had easily got rowers into the boat, but that it
was impossible to make them row beyond a certain point. He had used as
much discretion as Peder himself about not revealing the precise place
of their destination; and when Vogel islet came in sight, the two
helpers at once gave him hints to steer so as to keep as near the shore,