orborg and the business Eleseus had left--well, not bought it
straight out on the spot, perhaps, 'tis more than Andresen could
afford; better afford to wait a bit and get the whole maybe for
nothing. Andresen is no fool; he has taken over the place on lease for
the meanwhile, and manages the business himself.

Gone through the stock in hand, and found a deal of unsalable truck in
Eleseus' store, even to such things as toothbrushes and embroidered
table centres; ay, and stuffed birds on springs that squeaked when you
pressed in the right place.

These are the things he has started out with now, going to sell them
to the miners on the other side of the hills. He knows from Aronsen's
time that miners with money in their pockets will buy anything on
earth. Only a pity he had to leave behind six rocking-horses that
Eleseus had ordered on his last trip to Bergen.

The caravan turns into the yard at Sellanraa and sets down its load.
No long wait here; they drink a mug of milk, and make pretence of
trying to sell their wares on the spot, then shoulder their burdens
and off again. They are not out for pretence. Off they go, trundling
southward through the forest.

They march till noon, rest for a meal and on again till evening. Then
they camp and make a fire, lie down, and sleep a while. Sivert sleeps
resting on a boulder that he calls an arm-chair. Oh, Sivert knows what
he is about; here's the sun been warming that boulder all day, till
it's a good place to sit and sleep. His companions are not so wise,
and will not take advice; they lie down in the heather, and wake up
feeling cold, and sneezing. Then they have breakfast and start off
again.

Listening now, for any sound of blasting about; they are hoping to
come on the mine, and meet with folk some time that day. The work
should have got so far by now; a good way up from the water towards
Sellanraa. But never a sound of blasting anywhere. They march till
noon, meeting never a soul; but here and there they come upon holes in
the ground, where men have been digging for trial. What can this mean?
Means, no doubt, that the ore must be more than commonly rich at the
farther end of the tract; they are getting out pure heavy copper, and
keeping to that end all the time.

In the afternoon they come upon several more mines, but no miners;
they march on till evening, and already they can make out the sea
below; marching through a wilderness of deserted mines, and never a
sound.