"What else did the king and the others do?" asked Lisbeth.
"There wasn't much more. Oh, yes! after the king had finished writing, he seemed to think that they needed something to eat; so he began singing to the magistrate a line from an old song that they all knew. The king had a good voice and it rang out with jolly zest:
Oh, have you a drop in your bottle?
Then they laughed, and came forward with a basket, and set the table on the stone here. And they had something to drink, and some little cakes, and after that they went away again. And now," concluded Ole, "I think that we also need something to eat. Let us sit here at the king's table and have our lunch, too."
They took their lunch bags from their backs and sat down on the big, thick stone table, while the animals lay around them chewing the cud. When the bags were opened many good things came out. There was butter, and pork, and pease bread, and, in Lisbeth's, cream waffles besides. In each bag there was also a bottle of milk, except in Ole's-he had forgotten his. But that did not matter, for the others had plenty. They shared their food with each other, and when Ole wanted milk he merely sang,
Oh, have you a drop in your bottle?
And so he got rather more than his share, after all.
They did not talk much at the beginning of the meal, for it was so good to get a chance to eat; but when they had eaten quite a while, and their jaws began to work more slowly, Peter said, as if he had been pondering upon it, "I wonder what the king has to eat,-for every day, I mean."
"Loppered-cream[16] porridge, all day long," said Ole with conviction.
[16] Cream that has been allowed to stand until it has attained a
jellylike consistency. Loppered milk is sometimes called
bonnyclabber.
"Yes; but when he wants a little solid food, once in a while?" asked Lisbeth.
Peter had just put a very delicious piece of pork on some pease bread. He looked at it with real enjoyment before eating it.
"I am sure that he has pork and pease bread," said he.
Lisbeth took the last waffle and bit a piece off. Then she said, "Yes; but the queen,-she certainly does not eat anything but cream waffles!"
* * * * *
While they sat there on the stone, eating and talking, they saw a figure far off on the mountain. It was coming in the direction of Glory Peak. So unusual is it to meet another person up on the mountain that it gives one a strange feeling when it happens. Soon they could think of nothing except this stranger.
"It must be a man trying to find his horses," said Ole.
"Yes, it must be, surely," said Peter. "But what farmer could be sending up for his horses now?"
"Let me see,-it must be Nordrum."
"Yes, that is true. They have only Old Blakken[17] at home now, and they will have to begin their haymaking soon."
[17] A pet name for the dun-colored Norwegian horses.
"Yes; but this man is going on a wild-goose chase to-day. The Nordrum mare is over on the other side of our sæter. I saw her a fortnight ago."
"If we set him right he can find her to-morrow."
"Yes, easily."
They sat still and watched, for they knew it would be a long time before the figure could reach them. It is so strange to watch any one coming toward you on the mountain. He walks and walks, and it can be seen from his motions that he is walking quickly, too, but he does not appear to be getting the least bit nearer. He continues to seem small and far away, and to increase very slowly in size, because the distances from point to point are so great.
The animals had risen and had begun to descend the peak in the direction of the sæter; but they concluded to lie down again and await the stranger's approach.
At last he reached them.
They had guessed aright. He was walking about trying to find the Nordrum horses. The boys told him what they knew, and said that although he could not get them that day, he could the next day, surely.
When the question of the horses was settled the man turned to Lisbeth.
"Isn't it you who are called Lisbeth Longfrock?"
"Yes," answered Lisbeth, "they do call me that."
"Then I bring you a greeting from Jacob, your brother. I have a letter with me from him. He wants me to bring him an answer, but there is no hurry about it until to-morrow. I shall spend the night at Hoel Sæter, whether I find the horses to-day or not. But now I must look around a little before evening comes on. I want to be sure that the horses are not on this side of the sæter." So off he went.
Lisbeth was still sitting on the king's table. It was the first time she had ever received a letter. Indeed, even Ole and Peter had never received any. They were entirely overwhelmed with respectful surprise and took their stand at a suitable distance.
On the outside of the letter stood:
Salve Titel.[18]
To the Highly Respected Maiden,
Lisbeth Jacob's-daughter Longfrock,
at Hoel Sæter, on the West Mountain.
At Convenience, by Messenger.
Post Free.
[18] An expression from the Latin, often used in old-fashioned
Norwegian correspondence. It meant, in a general way, "Pardon any
error in the address."
Lisbeth broke the seal solemnly and opened the letter. Then she read, half aloud:
NORDRUM SÆTER, 15th of this month.
Salve Titel.
TO THE MAIDEN LISBETH LONGFROCK.
Good Sister: Since time and opportunity permit, I now take my pen
in hand to write to you and tell you that I have nothing to write
about except that it is a long time since I last saw you. But I
have a spare day due to me from Hans. I took care of his animals
for him when he went to his mother's burial. It was really two
days, but I only reckoned it as one, because it was his mother. And
now I will take that day from him on the next Sunday of this month.
In case you have a day due to you from Peter or Ole, I write to ask
if you cannot take it from them. But if you have not, you can take
a day, all the same, because I am stronger; but I did not mean
anything by it when I gave Peter a thrashing last winter. So I
wanted to write to you and ask if we could not meet at Peerout
Castle, for I have not been there since-
You are requested to come to the meeting in good season. Bring
something to eat with you.
With much regard,
Respectfully,
Jacob Jacob's-son Nordrum, Esq.
P.S. Please answer.
That evening Lisbeth Longfrock sat with her tongue thrust into one corner of her mouth, and wrote her response.
HOEL'S SÆTER, 17th of this month.
TO BACHELOR JACOB JACOB'S-SON NORDRUM.
Good Brother: I will now write 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 sæter 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.