can go out and call to it if you like, Nils Jansson."

Then all were silent, listening to the howling thing which
continued to go round and round without a stop. It sounded weird
and dreadful. They began to shudder and shake, and some turned as
white as death. No, indeed, this was no ordinary dog; anybody could
tell that! It was doubtless some demon let loose from hell, they
thought.

The little old man was the only one who moved about. First he
closed the flue, then he went around and snuffed out the candles.

"No, no!" cried the womenfolk, "don't put out the lights!"

"You must let me do what is best for all of us," said the old man.

One of the girls caught hold of his coat. "Is the mountain dog
dangerous?" she asked.

"No, not he, but what comes after."

"And what comes after?"

Again the old man listened. Presently he said: "Now we must all be
very still."

Instantly there was breathless silence. Once again the terrible
howling seemed to circle the hut, but it grew less distinct as it
went across the marsh and up the mountains on the other side of the
valley. Then came an ominous stillness. Presently some man, who
couldn't hold in any longer, said that the _dog_ was gone.

Without a word Strong Ingmar raised his hand and dealt the man a
blow across the mouth.

From far away at the top of Mount Flack came a piercing sound; it
was like a howling wind, but it could also have been a blast from a
horn. Now and again prolonged blare could be heard, then roaring
and tramping and snorting.

All at once the thing came dashing down from the mountain with an
awful roar. They could tell when it had reached the foot of the
slope; they could tell when it swept the skirt of the forest; and
when it was directly above them. It was like the rolling of thunder
across the face of the earth; it was as if the whole mountain had
come tumbling into the valley. When it seemed to be almost upon
them, every head went down. "It will crush us," they all thought.
"It will surely crush us."

But what they felt was not so much the fear of death, as terror
lest it might be the prince of darkness himself coming, with all
his demons. What frightened them most were the shrieks and moans
that could be heard above the other noises. There were wails and
groans, laughter and bellowings, whines and hisses. When that which
they had supposed was a big thunderstorm was right upon them, it
seemed to be a mingling of groans and curses, of sob