Frans cosily sitting on the doorstep
beside Jan in his working dress, and his own not more presentable for
eyes polite. Frans enjoyed society where the laws of etiquette and the
dominion of fashion were unknown.

"You here, Frans!" exclaimed Alma, with a sudden cloud on her before
smiling face.

"You here, Alma!" answered Frans, starting up with affected surprise,
then offering to his sister with formal courtesy the seat he had
vacated at honest Jan's side.

Jan took himself up too--a slow process for him after a day of hard
work. Bareheaded he stepped forward to welcome the young lady, who at
once explained the object of her visit. Nono, who had seen her in the
distance, now came to meet her, and willingly led the way to the shore.
Karin, who was weeding in the vegetable-garden, did not know of the
arrival of the guest.

Alma's delight with the group exceeded Nono's expectations. She used
words about it such as she had heard her father employ in criticising
works of art, and quite soared beyond Nono's comprehension as well as
her own. The little house, just like Karin's cottage, charmed her
completely. "Did you really make it all yourself, Nono; the house, I
mean?" she said.

"Uncle Pelle helped me about it a little," said Nono honestly. "I am
glad you like it."

"I like it so much that I want just such a one, to be really my own,
but very, very much smaller it should be. I should like to use it as a
money-box, a kind of savings-bank. The chimney should be open all the
way down, so that I could drop the money in. The door should be
locked, and I should have the key. I have a lock from an old work-box
that would just do. Pelle could help you to fit it in, I am sure; he
is so handy about everything. Will you do it, Nono?"

Of course Nono gladly said he would try; and then Alma added, "But I
want to see Pelle too, and Karin, and Pelle's room, and the cottage."

"Pelle does not often let anybody come into his room but me," said Nono
hesitatingly; "but Mamma Karin will be pleased, ever so pleased, to see
you, I am sure."

"Perhaps I had better come another time," said Alma, remembering that
Frans was on the premises, and not being at all sure what he might
choose to say while she was trying to make herself agreeable at the
golden house. So Alma made her way to the gate, escorted by Nono, and
only left a message for the family, who had all assembled in the
garden, which Frans was cheerily inspecting