d the mounted milkmaid, and soon disappeared
over a distant ridge. The procession followed slowly. Hour after hour
it wound its curving way over ridges and brooks, past saeters and
shining mountain lakes. Lisbeth had the honor of sitting up in the
saddle and riding awhile, the milkmaid feeling that she would gladly
walk a little.

Evening began to draw nigh. They took their way high up through a gap
in the mountain which they had seen in the distance early in the
morning. After that the road began to descend. They met with birch
trees again and one single warped fir tree; and from below they heard
the rushing sound of a large river.

They reached at last the edge of the saeter valley to which they were
bound, and stood still to look down. Below them lay a comparatively
level space, peaceful and green, with its three saeter huts, belonging
to Hoegseth,[10] Lunde,[11] and Hoel farms. From the chimneys of two
of the huts smoke was ascending in the still afternoon air.

[10] Pronounce the _oe_ like the _e_ in _her_ and _th_ like
_t_.

[11] Loond'eh (_oo_ as in _good_).

The gazers were filled with delight. This, then, was the spot where
they were to spend the summer! The cows began to bellow. The smaller
animals, one and all, started on a run past the cows and down the hill.

* * * * *

Early the next morning Lisbeth was on her way across the mountain
pasture with the small animals in her charge. She did not have the
lunch bag on her back now, for while she was up at the saeter she was to
take dinner at the hut every noon.

The sunshine was brilliant. The cows had been turned loose and were
walking away on the nearest cow path, going in single file as if strung
on a line. The leader's bell rang deeply and regularly, its tone
mingling with others quite as deep from the neighboring saeters; and in
upon this solemn ringing broke the delicate, brisk dingle-dangle of the
smaller creatures' bells.

The time had now come when Lisbeth Longfrock was to make her first
entrance into the vast unknown. The milkmaid had told her that while
tending her animals this first day she should not wander too far, lest
she might not be able to find her way back. She was to listen to the
other herders and keep near them. The milkmaid did not know whether the
other herders were boys or girls this year.

Lisbeth kept looking back every now and then to keep track of the way
she ha