narrower, the gay
rivulets were transformed into foaming torrents, and though the
road wound in and out it could not avoid all the inequalities of the
ground. Beyond came really dangerous passes, through which Joel guided
the vehicle with no little skill; besides, with him Hulda feared
nothing. When the road was very rough she clung to his arm, and the
freshness of the morning air brought a glow to the pretty face which
had been unusually pale for some time.

But it was necessary for them to ascend to still greater heights,
for the valley here contracted into merely a narrow channel for the
passage of the river, a channel inclosed on either side by massive
walls of rock. Over the neighboring fields were scattered a few
dilapidated farm-houses, the remains of _soeters_, which were now
abandoned, and a few shepherd's huts almost hidden from view by clumps
of birches and oaks. Soon it became impossible for them to see the
river, though they could distinctly hear it dashing along in its rocky
channel, and the country assumed an indescribably wild and imposing
aspect.

A drive of two hours brought them to a rough saw-mill perched upon
the edge of a water-fall at least fifteen hundred feet in height.
Water-falls of this height are by no means rare in the Vesfjorddal,
but the volume of water is usually small. This is not the case with
the falls of the Rjukanfos however.

On reaching the saw-mill, Joel and Hulda both alighted.

"A half hour's walk will not be too much for you, will it, little
sister?" asked Joel.

"No, brother; I am not tired, and a little exercise will do me good."

"It will be a good deal instead of a little, for you will have some
pretty hard climbing to do."

"I can cling to your arm, Joel."

It was evident that the kariol must be abandoned at this point, for
it would be impossible for it to make its way through the rough paths,
the narrow passes, and over the big, fantastically shaped rocks that
heralded the close proximity of the great falls.

Already, they could see in the distance a thick mist, the spray from
the seething waters of Rjukan.

Hulda and Joel took a shady path which is well known to guides, and
which leads to the end of the valley. A few moments afterward they
found themselves upon a moss-covered rock almost in front of the fall.
In fact there was no chance of getting any nearer to it on that side.

The brother and sister would have had considerable difficulty in
making them