Peder's shouts, and next saw the dull light of two
torches which looked as if they could not burn in the fog. The old man
lent a strong hand to pull up the boat upon the beach, and to lift out
the benumbed rowers, and they were presently revived by having their
limbs chafed, and by a strong dose of the universal medicine--
corn-brandy and camphor--which in Norway, neither man nor woman, young
nor old, sick nor well, thinks of refusing upon occasion.

When Erica was in bed, warm beneath an eider-down coverlid, her mistress
bent over her and whispered, "You saw and heard Hund himself?"

"Hund himself, madame."

"What shall we do if he comes back before my husband is home from the
bear-hunt?"

"If he comes, it will be in fear and penitence, thinking that all the
powers are against him. But O, madame, let him never know how it really
was!"

"He must not know. Leave that to me, and go to sleep now, Erica. You
ought to rest well, for there is no saying what you and Oddo have saved
us from. I could not have asked such a service. My husband and I must
see how we can reward it." And her kind and grateful mistress kissed
Erica's cheek, though Erica tried to explain that she was thinking most
of some one else, when she undertook this expedition.

"Then let him thank you in his own way," replied Madame Erlingsen.
"Meantime, why should not I thank you in mine?"

Stiorna here opened her eyes for an instant. When she next did so, her
mistress was gone; and she told in the morning what an odd dream she had
had of her mistress being in her room, and kissing Erica. It was so
distinct a dream that, if the thing had not been so ridiculous, she
could almost have declared that she had seen it.

CHAPTER SIX.

SPRING.

Great was Stiorna's consternation at Hund's non-appearance the next day,
seeing as she did, with her own eyes, that the boat was safe in its
proper place. She had provided salt for his cod, and a welcome for
himself; and she watched in vain for either. She saw, too, that no one
wished him back. He was rarely spoken of; and then it was with dislike
or fear: and when she wept over the idea of his being drowned, or
carried off by hostile spirits, the only comfort offered her was that
she need not fear his being dead, or that he could not come back if he
chose. She was, indeed, obliged to suppose, at last, that it was his
choice to keep away; for amidst the flying rumours that amused the
inhabitants of