stood the horses' packs, filled with butter tubs, cheese tubs, and
cheese boxes; and tied to the fence were the horses themselves. All of
these had pack saddles on, except the military horse, which stood
foremost among them, bearing a woman's saddle. The farm hands stood
outside, too, smoking their pipes. They were all ready, and were only
waiting for the milkmaid, who was inside the hut making the last batch
of cheese from the morning's milk, which she could not allow to be
wasted.

While Lisbeth was standing on the ridge of the cow house Ole and Peter
came bobbing along past the fence of the fold. They were not so
boisterous as usual to-day, and stopped at the gate, looking at Lisbeth
without saying a word at first. Then Peter asked, "Are you going back
to the farm to-day, Lisbeth?"

"Yes, I am all ready."

With one impulse Lisbeth and the boys gazed over the mountain's
familiar expanse.

"The mountain begins to look barren now," said Peter; "but I shall be
here a week longer."

"So long as that?" said Lisbeth. "And you, Ole?"

"I am going day after to-morrow."

All three were silent again for a while. Then Lisbeth said: "I suppose
I must go with the others now. They surely must be ready."

She descended from the roof and went over to where the boys were. The
conversation came to a standstill again; they could not think of
anything to say. Finally Peter spoke.

"Are you coming again next summer, Lisbeth?"

"Yes, if Kjersti Hoel is pleased with me; but that can hardly be
expected, since I am going home without Crookhorn."

"It would take a horse trainer to look after her," said Ole.

Again there was silence. Then Ole said: "We did not go up to Glory Peak
this summer, to see the spot the king once visited."

"No, we didn't."

"We two boys are coming here again next summer, both of us."

"Perhaps we can go to Glory Peak after all then, even if it is so far
away."

"Yes, we can," said Ole. "And I can tell you a good deal about the
king's visit, for my father went with him and drove."

"Drove the king's carriage?"

"No, not the king's; the county magistrate's."

"My father went with him, too," said Peter, "and drove; so I can tell
about it as well as you."

"Yes, but whose carriage did he drive? A homely old woman's!"

"But that homely old woman was next in rank to the queen. She was the
one who went off to walk with the queen at the foot of Glory Peak."

Just then came a call for Lisbeth. Sh