came near the end, he took
only a little crumb at a time, to spin out the treat; for never was
anything so good! Then he had nothing to do but listen: but the
waterfall was frozen up; and the mill stood as still as if it was not
made to move. If the wheel should creak, it would be a sign that Nipen
was passing.

Presently he heard something.

"Music!" thought he. "I never heard that it liked music; and I don't
think it can know much about music, for this is not at all sweet. There
again! That was a sort of screech. O, how stupid I am!" thought he
again. "So much for my head being full of Nipen! It is only Hund,
tuning his violin, because they have all done supper. They will be
waiting for me. I wish this Nipen would make haste. It can't be very
hungry;--that is clear."

He grew more and more impatient as the minutes passed on, and he was
aware that he was wanted in the house. Once or twice he walked slowly
away, looking behind him, and then turned again, unwilling to miss this
opportunity of seeing Nipen. Then he called the spirit,--actually
begged it to appear. His first call was almost a whisper; but he called
louder and louder by degrees, till he was suddenly stopped by hearing an
answer.

The call he heard was soft and sweet. There was nothing terrible in the
sound itself; yet Oddo grasped the rail of the gallery with all his
strength, as he heard it. The strangest thing was, it was not a single
cry; others followed,--all soft and sweet; but Oddo thought that Nipen
must have many companions: and he had not prepared himself to see more
spirits than one. As usual, however, his curiosity grew more intense,
from the little he had heard; and he presently called again. Again he
was answered, by four or five voices in succession.

"Was ever anybody so stupid!" cried the boy, now stamping with vexation.
"It is the echo, after all! As if there was not always an echo here,
opposite the rock! It is not Nipen at all. I will just wait another
minute, however."

He leaned in silence on his folded arms; and had not so waited for many
seconds before he saw something moving on the snow at a little distance.
It came nearer and nearer, and at last quite up to the can of ale.

"I am glad I stayed," thought Oddo. "Now I can say I have seen Nipen.
It is much less terrible than I expected. Grandfather told me that it
sometimes came like an enormous elephant or hippopotamus; and never
smaller than a large b