ow
the day before and then suddenly a thaw set in. So very warm was the air
and the sun so burning hot that the water from the roof gutters came
rushing and tumbling out in regular waterfalls; and big snowslides from
the housetops thumped down everywhere, making a rumbling noise all along
the streets.

The walking I won't try to describe. There were no paths made, just the
frightfully soft melting snow, so deep that it came exactly half-way to
your knees. So there wasn't much pleasure in walking, I assure you; and
we hadn't a thing to do.

The steamships from both east and west were delayed by the snow-storm,
so there was no fun in going to the wharf and hanging around there.
Usually it is amusing enough,--always something new to see and something
happening; and now and then we have fun seeing the queer seasick people
on board the ships. Just outside of our town there is a horribly rough
place in the sea where cross currents meet, and the passengers look
forlorn enough when the ship gets to the wharf.

But all this isn't really what I meant to tell about now; I started to
tell about the afternoon when we played a lot of pranks simply because
there wasn't a thing else to do. Truly, that was the reason. Now you
shall hear.

Karen, Mina, Munda, and I were together that afternoon. Not a person was
to be seen on the street and it was disgustingly quiet and dull
everywhere. The only pleasant thing was that there came a tremendously
big heavy snowslide right down on the little shoemaker, Jorgen.

[Illustration: The only pleasant thing was that there came a
tremendously big, heavy snowslide right down on the little
shoemaker.--_Page 123._]

Well, I don't mean that that was a pleasure exactly, you understand, but
it made a little variety.

Just as he came around the corner, by Madam Lindeland's, b-r-r-r! there
was a rumbling above, and down upon him slid a whole mass of snow from
Madam Lindeland's steep sloping roof. He was knocked completely over,
and all we could see of him was a bit of his old brown blouse sticking
up through the snow.

In a flash Mina, Munda, Karen, and I were on the spot, digging him out
with our hands. Before you could count ten, he was up, but you had
better believe he was angry! Not at us exactly, but at the snow, and the
thaw, and the town itself that was so badly arranged that people walking
in the streets might be killed before they knew it.

"Preposterous, the whole business," grumbled th