sly did he toil, this spring, to show that he was
now beyond a mere herd-boy's place. It was he who first fattened, and
then killed and skinned the reindeer,--a more than ordinary feat, as it
was full two months past the regular season. It was he who watched the
making of the first eider-duck's nest, and brought home the first down.
All the month of April, he never failed in the double work of the
farm-yard and islet. He tended the cattle in the morning, and turned
out the goats, when the first patches of green appeared from beneath the
snow: and then he was off to the islet, or to some one of the breeding
stations among the rocks, punctually stripping the nests of the down, as
the poor ducks renewed the supply from their breasts; and as carefully
staying his hand, when he saw, by the yellow tinge of the down, that the
duck had no more to give, and the drake had now supplied what was
necessary for hatching the eggs. Then he watched for the eggs; and
never had Madame Erlingsen had such a quantity brought home; though Oddo
assured her that he had left enough in the nests for every duck to have
her brood. Then he was ready to bring home the goats again, long before
sunset,--for, by this time, the sun set late,--and to take his turn at
mending any fence that might have been injured by the spring-floods; and
then he never forgot to wash and dress himself, and go in for his
grandmother's blessing; and after all, he was not too tired to sit up as
late as if he were a man,--even till past nine sometimes,--spending the
last hour of the evening in working at the bell-collars which Hund had
left half done, and which must be finished before the cattle went to the
mountain: or, if the young ladies were disposed to dance, he was never
too tired to play the clarionet, though it now and then happened that
the tune went rather oddly; and when Orga and Frolich looked at him, to
see what he was about, his eyes were shut, and his fingers looked as if
they were moving of their own accord. If this happened, the young
ladies would finish their waltz at once, and thank him, and his mistress
would wish him good night; and when he was gone, his master would tell
old Peder that that grandson of his was a promising lad, and very
diligent; and Peder would make a low bow, and say it was greatly owing
to Rolf's good example; and then Erica would blush, and be kinder than
ever to Oddo the next day.

So came on and passed away the spring of this y