the boy. "I thank you all the same for
your kind intention, but you can't help me."

"Oh, can't I?" said Gorgo. "We'll see about that!" In a twinkling he
grasped Nils Holgersson in his big talons, and rose with him toward the
skies, disappearing in a northerly direction.

ON OVER GAeSTRIKLAND

THE PRECIOUS GIRDLE

_Wednesday, June fifteenth_.

The eagle kept on flying until he was a long distance north of
Stockholm. Then he sank to a wooded hillock where he relaxed his hold on
the boy.

The instant Thumbietot was out of Gorgo's clutches he started to run
back to the city as fast as he could.

The eagle made a long swoop, caught up to the boy, and stopped him with
his claw.

"Do you propose to go back to prison?" he demanded.

"That's my affair. I can go where I like, for all of you!" retorted the
boy, trying to get away. Thereupon the eagle gripped him with his strong
talons, and rose in the air.

Now Gorgo circled over the entire province of Uppland and did not stop
again until he came to the great water-falls at Aelvkarleby where he
alighted on a rock in the middle of the rushing rapids below the roaring
falls. Again he relaxed his hold on the captive.

The boy saw that here there was no chance of escape from the eagle.
Above them the white scum wall of the water-fall came tumbling down, and
round about the river rushed along in a mighty torrent. Thumbietot was
very indignant to think that in this way he had been forced to become a
promise-breaker. He turned his back to the eagle and would not speak to
him.

Now that the bird had set the boy down in a place from which he could
not run away, he told him confidentially that he had been brought up by
Akka from Kebnekaise, and that he had quarrelled with his foster-mother.

"Now, Thumbietot, perhaps you understand why I wish to take you back to
the wild geese," he said. "I have heard that you are in great favour
with Akka, and it was my purpose to ask you to make peace between us."

As soon as the boy comprehended that the eagle had not carried him off
in a spirit of contrariness, he felt kindly toward him.

"I should like very much to help you," he returned, "but I am bound by
my promise." Thereupon he explained to the eagle how he had fallen into
captivity and how Clement Larsson had left Skansen without setting him
free.

Nevertheless the eagle would not relinquish his plan.

"Listen to me, Thumbietot," he said. "My wings can carry you whereve