te a few words to you, and thank you
for your welcome letter which I have duly received. I am glad to
see that you are in good health. The same can be said of me, except
for toothache. But I will gladly come, and the milkmaid says I may
be away over night, because it is too far. And so Ole and Peter can
each have a day from me. For I have not had any day from them. They
wrestle almost all the time, but Peter is nearly as strong.

I must now close my poor letter to you, with many greetings from
them. But first and foremost are you greeted by me.

Your affectionate sister,

Lisbeth Jacob's-daughter Longfrock.

P.S. Excuse the writing. Burn this letter, dear.

CHAPTER IX

THE VISIT TO PEEROUT CASTLE

Late on Saturday evening Lisbeth Longfrock went jogging slowly up over
the hilly road to Hoel Farm. The milkmaid had given her leave to go to
the farm and to stay away until Monday evening.

She had risen early that day, for she would not think of such a thing
as leaving the saeter before she had done her morning chores, and milked
the goats, and let out the cows. And she had had to do this very early,
not only because she was in a hurry to get away, but also because she
knew that Ole would not oversleep himself after having insisted so
strongly that he should take care of her flock the first day. She had
barely finished when Ole came. Peter was not with him; but she had had
a talk with Peter the evening before, and he was quite as well pleased
to take her flock on Sunday by himself, and then on Monday he and Ole
could watch all the flocks together.

Ole had been very modest and ceremonious with Lisbeth as he bade her
good-by. He had shaken hands and asked her to greet Jacob from him, and
to say that he, Ole Hoegseth, would not keep close account of these
days Lisbeth was taking, since Jacob really needed to speak with his
sister. He did not know, of course, that Peter had said the very same
thing the evening before.

And then she had given her animals over to Ole's care and had begun her
long walk down the mountain. She walked and she walked, hour after
hour. She had now gone over this saeter road several times, but had
never before noticed that it was so long as it seemed to-day. She
rested by a brook, took out her lunch, ate it and drank some water with
it, and then set out again. In order to forget how slow