d," said Oddo, "how did Nipen take hold of you when it laid you
sprawling on the rock? Neck and heels? Or, did it bid you go and
harken whether the pirates were coming, and whip away the boat before
you came back? Are you quite sure that you sprawled on the rock at all
before you ran away from the horrible cry you speak of? Our rocks are
very slippery, when Nipen is at one's heels."

Hund stared at Oddo, and his voice was yet hoarser when he said that he
had long thought that boy was a favourite with Nipen; and he was sure of
it now.

Erica had thrown herself down on the sand, hiding her face on her hands,
on the edge of the boat, as if in despair of her misery being attended
to,--her questions answered. Old Peder stood beside her, stroking her
hair tenderly; and he now spoke the things she could not say.

"Attend to me, Hund," said Peder, in the grave, quiet tone which every
one regarded. "Hear my words, and, for your own sake, answer them. We
suspect you of being in communication with the pirates yonder: we
suspect that you went to meet them when you refused to go hunting the
bears. We know that you have long felt ill-will towards Rolf,--envy of
him,--jealousy of him;--and--"

Here Erica looked up, pale as ashes, and said, "Do not question him
further. There is no truth in his answers. He spoke falsehood even
now."

Peder saw how Hund shrank under this, and thought the present the moment
to get truth out of him, if he ever could speak it. He therefore went
on to say--

"We suspect you of having done something to keep your rival out of the
way, in order that you might obtain the house and situation,--and
perhaps something else that you wish."

"Have you killed him?" asked Erica, abruptly, looking full in his face.

"No," returned Hund, firmly. From his manner everybody believed this
much.

"Do you know that anybody else has killed him?"

"No."

"Do you know whether he is alive or dead?"

To this Hund could, in the confusion of his ideas about Rolf's fate and
condition, fairly say "No:" as also to the question, "Do you know where
he is?"

Then they all cried out, "Tell us what you do know about him."

"Ay, there you come," said Hund, resuming some courage, and putting on
the appearance of more than he had. "You load me with foul accusations;
and when you find yourselves all in the wrong, you alter your tone, and
put yourselves under obligation to me for what I will tell. I will
treat you