The establishment was now in a great hurry and bustle for an hour, after
which time it promised to be unusually quiet.
M. Kollsen began to be anxious to be on the other side of the fiord.
It was rather inconvenient, as the two men were wanted to go in
different directions, while their master took a third, to rouse the
farmers for the bear-hunt. The hunters were all to arrive before night
within a certain distance of the thickets where the bears were now
believed to be. On calm nights it was no great hardship to spend the
dark hours in the bivouac of the country. Each party was to shelter
itself under a bank of snow, or in a pit dug out of it, an enormous fire
blazing in the midst, and brandy and tobacco being plentifully
distributed on such occasions. Early in the morning the director of the
hunt was to go his rounds, and arrange the hunters in a ring enclosing
the hiding-place of the bears, so that all might be prepared, and no
waste made of the few hours of daylight which the season afforded. As
soon as it was light enough to see distinctly among the trees, or
bushes, or holes of the rocks where the bears might be couched, they
were to be driven from their retreat, and disposed of as quickly as
possible. Such was the plan, well understood, in such cases throughout
the country. On the present occasion it might be expected that the
peasantry would be ready at the first summons, as Olaf had told his
story of the bears all along the road. Yet, the more messengers and
helpers the better; and Erlingsen was rather vexed to see Hund go with
alacrity to unmoor the boat, and offer officiously to row the pastor
across the fiord. His daughters knew what he was thinking about, and
after a moment's consultation, Frolich asked whether she and the maid
Stiorna might not be the rowers.
Nobody would have objected if Hund had not. The girls could row, though
they could not hunt bears; and the weather was fair enough; but Hund
shook his head, and went on preparing the boat. His master spoke to
him, but Hund was not remarkable for giving up his own way. He would
only say that there would be plenty of time for both affairs, and that
he could follow the hunt when he returned, and across the lake he went.
Erlingsen and Rolf presently departed, accompanied by Olaf, who was glad
of an escort for a few miles, though nothing was further from his
intention than going near the bears. The women and Peder were thus left
behind.
They occupied themselves to keep away anxious thoughts. One began some
new nets, for the approaching fishing season; another sat in the loom,
and the girls appealed to their mother very frequently, about the
beauties of a new quilting pattern they were drawing. Old Peder sang to
them too; but Peder's songs were rather melancholy, and they had not the
effect of cheering the party. Hour after hour they looked for Hund.
His news of his voyage, and the sending him after his master, would be
something to do and to think of; but Hund did not come. Stiorna at last
let fall that she did not think he would come yet, for that he meant to
catch some cod before his return; he had taken tackle with him for that
purpose, she knew, and she should not wonder if he did not appear till
the morning.
Every one was surprised, and Madame Erlingsen highly displeased. At the
time when her husband would be wanting every strong arm that could be
mustered, his servant chose to be out fishing, instead of obeying
orders. The girls pronounced him a coward, and Peder observed that to a
coward, as well as a sluggard, there was ever a lion in the path. Erica
doubted whether this act of disobedience arose from cowardice, for there
were dangers in the fiord, for such as went out as far as the cod. She
supposed Hund had heard--
She stopped short, as a sudden flash of suspicion crossed her mind. She
had seen Hund inquiring of Olaf about the pirates, and his strange
obstinacy about this day's boating looked much as if he meant to learn
more.
"Danger in the fiord!" repeated Orga. "O, you mean the pirates; they
are far enough from our fiord, I suppose. If ever they do come, I wish
they would catch Hund, and carry him off. I am sure we could spare them
nothing they would be so welcome to."
Madame Erlingsen saw that Erica was turning red and white, and resolved
to ask, on the first good opportunity, what was in her mind about Hund,
for no one was more disposed to distrust and watch him than the lady
herself.
The first piece of amusement that occurred was the return of Oddo, who
passed the windows, followed at a short distance by a wistful-looking
deer, which seemed afraid to come quite up to him, but kept its branched
head outstretched towards the salt which Oddo displayed, dropping a few
grains from time to time. At the sight all crowded to the windows but
Frolich, who left the room on the instant. Before the animal had passed
the servants' house (a separate dwelling in the yard), she appeared in
the gallery which ran round the outside of it, and showed to Oddo a cord
which she held; he nodded, and threw down some salt on the snow
immediately below where she stood. The reindeer stooped its head,
instead of looking out for enemies above, and thus gave Frolich a good
opportunity to throw her cord over its antlers. She had previously
wound one end round the balustrade of the gallery, so that she had not
with her single strength to sustain the animal's struggles.
The poor animal struggled violently when it found its head no longer at
liberty, and, by throwing out its legs, gave Oddo an opportunity to
catch and fasten it by the hind leg, so as to decide its fate
completely. It could now only start from side to side, and threaten
with its head when the household gathered round to congratulate Oddo and
Frolich on the success of their hunting. The women durst only hastily
stroke the palpitating sides of the poor beast; but, Peder, who had
handled many scores in his lifetime, boldly seized its head, and felt
its horns and the bones from whence they grew, to ascertain its age.
"Do you fancy you have made a prize of a wild deer, boy?" he asked of
his grandson.
"To be sure," said Oddo.
"I thought you had had more curiosity than to take such a thing for
granted, Oddo. See here! Is not this ear slit?"
"Why, yes," Oddo admitted; "but it is not a slit of this year or last.
It may have belonged to the Lapps once upon a time; but it has been wild
for so long that it is all the same as if it had never been in a fold.
It will never be claimed."
"I am of your opinion there, boy. I wish you joy of your sport."
"You may: for I doubt whether anybody will do better to-day. Hund will
not, for one, if it is he who has gone out with the boat; and I think I
cannot be mistaken in the handling of his oar."
"Have you seen him? Where? What is he doing?" asked one and another.
Before Oddo could answer, Madame Erlingsen desired that he would go home
with his grandfather, and tell Ulla about the deer, while he warmed
himself. She did not wish her daughters to hear what he might have to
tell of Hund. Stiorna too was better out of the way. Oddo had not half
told the story of the deer to his grandmother, when his mistress and
Erica entered.
"Did you not see M. Kollsen in the boat with Hund?" she inquired.
"No. Hund was quite alone, pulling with all his might down the fiord.
The tide was with him, so that he shot along like a fish."
"How do you know that it was Hund you saw?"
"Don't I know our boat? And don't I know his pull? It is no more like
Rolf's than Rolf's is like master's."
"Perhaps he was making for the best fishing-ground as fast as he could."
"We shall see that by the fish he brings home."
"True. By supper-time we shall know."
"Hund will not be home by supper-time," said Oddo, decidedly.
"Why not? Come, say out what you mean."
"Well, I will tell you what I saw. I watched him rowing as fast as his
arm and the tide would carry him. It was so plain that there was a plan
in his head, that I forgot the deer in watching him; and I followed on
from point to point, catching a sight now and then, till I had gone a
good stretch beyond Salten heights. I was just going to turn back when
I took one more look, and he was then pulling in for the land."
"On the north shore or south?" asked Peder.
"The north--just at the narrow part of the fiord, where one can see into
the holes of the rocks opposite."
"The fiord takes a wide sweep below there," observed Peder.
"Yes; and that was why he landed," replied Oddo. "He was then but a
little way from the fishing-ground, if he had wanted fish. But he drove
up the boat into a little cove, a narrow dark creek, where it will lie
safe enough, I have no doubt, till he comes back: if he means to come
back."
"Why, where should he go? What should he do but come back?" asked
Madame Erlingsen.
"He is now gone over the ridge to the north. I saw him moor the boat,
and begin to climb; and I watched his dark figure on the white snow,
higher and higher, till it was a speck, and I could not make it out."
"That is the way you will lose your eyes," exclaimed Ulla. "How often
have I warned you,--and many others as giddy as you! When you have lost
your eyes, you will think you had better have minded my advice, and not
have stared at the snow after a runaway that is better there than here."
"What do you think of this story, Peder?" asked his mistress.
"I think Hund has taken the short cut over the promontory, on business
of his own at the islands. He is not on any business of yours, depend
upon it, madam."
"And what business can he have among the islands?"
"I could say that with more certainty if I knew exactly where the
pirate-vessel is."
"That is your idea, Erica," said her mistress. "I saw what your
thoughts were, an hour ago, before we knew all this."
"I was thinking then, madam, that if Hund was gone to join the pirates,
Nipen would be very ready to give them a wind just now. A baffling wind
would be our only defence; and we cannot expect that much from Nipen
to-day."
"I will do anything in the world," cried Oddo, eagerly. "Send me
anywhere. Do think of something that I can do."
"What must be done, Peder?" asked his mistress. "There is quite enough
to fear, Erica, without a word of Nipen. Pirates on the coast, and one
farm-house seen burning already!"
"I will tell you what you must let me do, madam," said Erica. "Indeed
you must not oppose me. My mind is quite set upon going for the boat,--
immediately--this very minute. That will give us time--it will give us
safety for this night. Hund might bring seven or eight men upon us over
the promontory: but if they find no boat, I think they can hardly work
up the windings of the fiord in their own vessel to-night;--unless,
indeed," she added, with a sigh, "they have a most favourable wind."
"All this is true enough," said her mistress; "but how will you go?
Will you swim?"
"The raft, madam."
"And there is the old skiff on Thor islet," said Oddo. "It is a rickety
little thing, hardly big enough for two; but it will carry down Erica
and me, if we go before the tide turns."
"But how will you get to Thor islet?" inquired Madame Erlingsen. "I
wish the scheme were not such a wild one."
"A wild one must serve at such a time, madam," replied Erica. "Rolf had
lashed several logs before he went. I am sure we can get over to the
islet. See, madam, the fiord is as smooth as a pond."
"Let her go," said Peder. "She will never repent."
"Then come back, I charge you, if you find the least danger," said her
mistress. "No one is safer at the oar than you; but if there is a
ripple in the water, or a gust on the heights, or a cloud in the sky,
come back. Such is my command, Erica."
"Wife," said Peder, "give her your pelisse; that will save her seeing
the girls before she goes. And she shall have my cap, and then there is
not an eye along the fiord that can tell whether she is man or woman."
Ulla lent her deerskin pelisse willingly enough; but she entreated that
Oddo might be kept at home. She folded her arms about the boy with
tears; but Peder decided the matter with the words, "Let him go; it is
the least he can do to make up for last night. Equip, Oddo."
Oddo equipped willingly enough. In two minutes he and his companion
looked like two walking bundles of fur. Oddo carried a frail-basket,
containing rye-bread, salt-fish, and a flask of corn-brandy; for in
Norway no one goes on the shortest expedition without carrying
provisions.
"Surely it must be dusk by this time," said Peder.
It was dusk; and this was well, as the pair could steal down to the
shore without being perceived from the house. Madame Erlingsen gave
them her blessing, saying that if the enterprise saved them from nothing
worse than Hund's company this night, it would be a great good. There
could be no more comfort in having Hund for an inmate; for some improper
secret he certainly had. Her hope was that, finding the boat gone, he
would never show himself again.
"One would think," continued the lady, when she returned from watching
Erica and Oddo disappear in the dusk--"one would think Erica had never
known fear. Her step is as firm and her eye as clear as if she had
never trembled in the course of her life."
"She knows how to act to-night," said Peder; "and she is going into
danger for her lover, instead of waiting at home while her lover goes
into danger for her. A hundred pirates in the fiord would not make her
tremble as she trembled last night. Rather a hundred pirates than Nipen
angry, she would say."
"There is her weakness," observed her mistress.
"Can we speak of weakness after what we have just seen--if I may say so,
madam?"
"I think so," replied Madame Erlingsen. "I think it a weakness in those
who believe that a just and tender Providence watches over us all, to
fear what any power in the universe can do to them."
"M. Kollsen does not make progress in teaching the people what you say,
madam. He only gets distrusted by it."
"When M. Kollsen has had more experience, he will find that this is not
a matter for displeasure. He will not succeed while he is displeased at
what his people think sacred. When he is an older man, he will pity the
innocent for what they suffer from superstition; and this pity will
teach him how to speak of Providence to such as our Erica. But here are
my girls coming to seek me. I must meet them, to prevent their missing
Erica."
"Get them to rest early, madam."
"Certainly; and you will watch in this house, Peder, and I at home."
"Trust me for hearing the oar at a furlong off, madam."
"That is more than I can promise," said the lady; "but the owl shall not
be more awake than I."