Kristian to run with it to the old
couple. "But they mustn't know that it is from us," said she.
"They'll be having their after-dinner nap, so you can easily leave
it without their seeing you." Kristian put it down on the little
bench underneath the elder; but when later on he crept past, to see
if it had been taken, only the tail and the fins remained--the cat
had eaten it up. Ditte scolded him well, and Kristian had to puzzle
his brains once more.

"Father might get Klavs, and take them for a drive on Sunday," said
he. "They never get anywhere--their legs are too old."

"You silly!--we've nothing to do with Klavs now," Ditte said
sharply.

But now she knew what to do! She would scrub out the _little house_
for them every night; the old woman had to kneel down to do it every
morning. It was a sin she should have to do it. After the old people
had gone to bed--they went to rest early--Ditte took a pail of water
and a scrubbing brush, and some sand in her pinafore, and crept up.
Kristian stood outside at home, waiting for her. He was not allowed
to go with her, for fear of disturbing the old couple--he was so
noisy.

"What d'you think they'll say when they come down in the morning and
find it all so clean?" cried he, hopping first on one foot and then
the other. He would have liked to stay up all night to see their
surprise.

Next time the children visited the old people, the old man told them
a story about a little fairy who came every night to scour and
scrub, to save his little mother. Then Kristian laughed--he knew
better.

"It was Ditte!" he burst out. He put his hand to his mouth next
moment, but it was too late.

"But Ditte isn't a fairy!" broke out sister Else, offended. They
all three laughed at her until she began to cry, and had to be
comforted with a cake.

On their way home, whom should they meet but Uncle Johannes, who was
looking for their house. He was rigged out very smartly, and looked
like a well-to-do tradesman. Lars Peter was pleased to see him. They
had not met since their unfortunate parting in the Crow's Nest, and
now all was forgotten. He had heard one or two things about
him--Johannes kept the gossips busy. The two brothers shook hands as
if no unpleasantness had come between them. "Sit down and have
something to eat," said Lars Peter. "There's boiled cod today."

"Thanks, but I'm feeding up at the inn later on; we're a few
tradesmen up there together."

"That'll be a grand dinne