," answered Uli, and bent
down.

At that instant Freneli twisted away so powerfully that he was driven
back half across the room; and still it seemed to him as if he had got
his kiss; he thought he felt Freneli's lips quite distinctly on one
spot. But the latter waggishly gave him a dressing down, intimating that
she thought he was too old for such tricks, and probably her aunt hadn't
sent him up to take her time with such foolishness. He must think what
Stini, his old sweetheart, would say to it if she came in; she didn't
went to have a wrestling match with her, like Yrsi. At the same time she
laughed so that Uli felt quite crushed and got out as soon as he could.

They were later in setting out than they had expected, for as they were
about to hitch up they had to sit down to a meal for which Johannes's
wife had summoned her whole culinary skill and the entire resources of
her house. Although Uli's mistress kept saying time after time, "Good
heavens, who can eat of every dish?" still there was no end of pressing
them, and she was not left in peace until she declared that she simply
couldn't swallow another thing; if she was to eat another bite, she'd
burst.

While Uli was hitching up she put new coins into the hands of her
cousin's children, although the latter tried to refuse them, and the
parents told her not to go to such expense and admonished the children
not to be so bold as to take them. When they took them just the same and
ran and showed the treasure to their mother, she said, "Oh, what a thing
to do; it makes us ashamed." And then her cousin said it was not worth
talking about, and urged them to come very soon and visit them, and get
back what this visit had cost them. They would surely come, was the
answer; but they shouldn't have hurried so and should have stayed
another day. So amid much talk they finally reached their little wagon
and continued talking as they drove away, Freneli telling her aunt all
that she had noticed, which was indeed not a little; for she had seen
many things of which she said, "If I was younger and could work better
I'd have that too." To all this Uli said nothing, and only paid such
strict attention to his Blackie, which he made trot so sharply that his
mistress finally said, "Uli, is anything the matter with you? Aren't you
driving Blackie too hard? He's not used to running so." Uli excused
himself and received orders to stop when they had gone something more
than halfway. * *