is be the father's answer to her prayer?

THE TREASURE ON THE ISLAND

ON THEIR WAY TO THE SEA

_Friday, October seventh_.

From the very start of the autumn trip the wild geese had flown straight
south; but when they left Fryksdalen they veered in another direction,
travelling over western Vermland and Dalsland, toward Bohuslaen.

That was a jolly trip! The goslings were now so used to flying that they
complained no more of fatigue, and the boy was fast recovering his good
humour. He was glad that he had talked with a human being. He felt
encouraged when she said to him that if he were to continue doing good
to all whom he met, as heretofore, it could not end badly for him. She
was not able to tell him how to get back his natural form, but she had
given him a little hope and assurance, which inspired the boy to think
out a way to prevent the big white gander from going home.

"Do you know, Morten Goosey-Gander, that it will be rather monotonous
for us to stay at home all winter after having been on a trip like
this," he said, as they were flying far up in the air. "I'm sitting here
thinking that we ought to go abroad with the geese."

"Surely you are not in earnest!" said the goosey-gander. Since he had
proved to the wild geese his ability to travel with them all the way to
Lapland, he was perfectly satisfied to get back to the goose pen in
Holger Nilsson's cow shed.

The boy sat silently a while and gazed down on Vermland, where the birch
woods, leafy groves, and gardens were clad in red and yellow autumn
colours.

"I don't think I've ever seen the earth beneath us as lovely as it is
to-day!" he finally remarked. "The lakes are like blue satin bands.
Don't you think it would be a pity to settle down in West Vemminghoeg and
never see any more of the world?"

"I thought you wanted to go home to your mother and father and show them
what a splendid boy you had become?" said the goosey-gander.

All summer he had been dreaming of what a proud moment it would be for
him when he should alight in the house yard before Holger Nilsson's
cabin and show Dunfin and the six goslings to the geese and chickens,
the cows and the cat, and to Mother Holger Nilsson herself, so that he
was not very happy over the boy's proposal.

"Now, Morten Goosey-Gander, don't you think yourself that it would be
hard never to see anything more that is beautiful!" said the boy.

"I would rather see the fat grain fields of Soederslaett t