ckoo, far up on the birch-clad slope,
was heard above the other sounds, and from every shining window glanced
a big, serene eye of reflected sun rays.

And just as there were thousands of different sounds, so were there
also thousands of different odors,--from the steaming earth, from the
growing grass, from buds and blossoms; and above them all, like the
cuckoo's call that was heard above the thousands of blended sounds,
rose the fine, penetrating fragrance of newly sprouted birch trees.

Lisbeth stood still awhile, drawing deep breaths and letting the sweet
air and the effervescence of spring stream in upon her. Then she looked
around at the different farm buildings. Quiet brooded within them and
every door was shut. Of all the living creatures belonging to the farm,
not one was to be seen except Bearhunter, who got up slowly from the
flat stone where he had been lying, comfortably sunning himself, and
came over to her, looking up into her face and wagging his tail.

Truly, she believed she was the first one up on the whole farm to-day.

Well, of course she would have to wait. So she sat herself down on the
steps.

Oh, no; it was just as she might have known it would be. Kjersti Hoel
was up. Lisbeth heard her come out of her own room into the kitchen,
take a big stick, and knock three times on the ceiling to waken the
girls in the south chamber.

In a moment Lisbeth heard a thump! thump! as the girls hopped out of
bed, and then a clattering noise as they put on their shoes. Soon
Kjersti came out of the house. She was going over to the building where
the men slept to waken them.

Catching sight of Lisbeth, she exclaimed: "No! this cannot be Lisbeth
already up. What a wide-awake little girl! I think I shall have to make
you head milkmaid."

At this Lisbeth became so shy that she could not raise her eyes to look
at Kjersti; but it must be acknowledged that when the head milkmaid and
the other girls came downstairs a certain small nose was tilted a
little higher than usual.

Soon there was life and motion over the whole farm. The activity was
very different from that of ordinary days, for everything was done with
extra haste, and all that was done seemed to have some connection with
the cow house. The doors at both ends of this building stood wide open,
and every one seemed to have an errand which obliged him to pass
through. The spring air streaming in made the cows turn around in their
stalls, stretch their n