ily; and
Lisbeth Longfrock trilled a vigorous call through her little goat horn.
They wanted every one to hear that the great company of animals
belonging to Hoel Farm was now coming back again.

Thus they hastened down to the bottom of the valley and then up the
opposite side. It was not long before they were actually at home.

Kjersti Hoel herself stood at the cow-house door and opened it for
them. The cows recognized her, and each one of them, as they went by
her in turn, received a word or a pat on the head; after which, proud
and satisfied, they went to their separate stalls,--not a single cow
making a mistake. They went swiftly, too, for they knew that there was
something good in the mangers to welcome them. And they needed
something, surely, for there had not been time to eat anything along
the road that day.

When the milkmaid had dismounted from her horse Kjersti took her hand
and said, "Welcome home!" Then Kjersti went over to the door of the
sheep barn, opened that also, and counted the goats and sheep as they
went in; and when Lisbeth Longfrock came following in their wake,
Kjersti took her hand also and said, "Welcome home!"

"But," faltered Lisbeth, "I have not brought Crookhorn back with me."

"No, I see that you have not; and it is a good thing. Now we shall be
rid of her capers for a while. You have been a faithful and capable
little worker, there is no doubt of that. And how you have grown! Why,
your long frock is far above your toes now!"

Then the milkmaid and Lisbeth fastened the cows in their stalls, while
Kjersti went to watch the unloading of the packs and to look at the
tubs and boxes containing the butter and cheese that had been made at
the saeter.

After that Kjersti came to them again and asked them to "Please walk
in," exactly as if they were grand strangers. And when they had gone
into the house they were invited into Kjersti's own sitting room, both
Lisbeth and the milkmaid. Here the table was set with a welcoming meal,
and oh, how delicious the food smelled! There were large hot pancakes
as thin as paper, and pease bread, and hot new potatoes,--the finest
feast you can give to people just home from a saeter. And Kjersti
herself poured coffee for them and begged them to help themselves. Then
they had to give an account of everything that had happened on the
mountain; to tell about the cows,--which of them had given the most
milk and which of them had stopped giving; about the shee