That was the schoolmaster, whose custom it was to boil up, but calm down again before he had finished. It grew quiet immediately in the school, until the water-wheels again began to go: every one read aloud from his book, the sharpest louder and louder to get the preponderance, here trebles piped up, the rougher voices drummed and there one shouted in above the others, and Oeyvind had never had such fun in all his life. "Is it always like this here?" whispered he to Marit. "Yes, just like this," she said. Afterwards, they had to go up to the schoolmaster, and read; and then a little boy was called to read, so that they were allowed to go and sit down quietly again. "I have got a goat now, too," said she. "Have you?" "Yes; but it is not so pretty as yours." "Why don't you come oftener up on the cliff?" "Grandpapa is afraid I shall fall over." "Mother knows so many songs," said he. "Grandpapa does, too, you can believe." "Yes; but he does not know what mother does." "Grandpapa knows one about a dance. Would you like to hear it?" "Yes, very much." "Well, then, you must come farther over here, so that the schoolmaster may not hear." He changed his place, and then she recited a little piece of a song three or four times over, so that the boy learned it. "Up with you, youngsters!" called out the schoolmaster. "This is the first day, so you shall be dismissed early; but first we must say a prayer, and sing." Instantly, all was life in the school; they jumped down from the benches, sprung over the floor, and talked into each other's mouths. "Silence! you young torments, you little beggars, you noisy boys! be quiet, and walk softly across the floor, little children," said the schoolmaster; and now they walked quietly, and took their places, after which the schoolmaster went in front of them, and made a short prayer. Then they sung. The schoolmaster began in a deep bass, all the children stood with folded hands, and joined in. Oeyvind stood farthest down by the door with Marit, and looked on; they also folded their hands, but they could not sing. That was the first day at school. #Happy Days# WHAT THE CAT AND HEN DID Four little children were playing in their garden one day. There were Mollie and Jamie and Betty and Teddy. [Illustration: "THEY WERE SO BUSY MAKING MUD-PIES THAT THEY DID NOT SEE 'MRS. TOMKINS.'"] They were so busy making mud-pies that they did not see "Mrs. Tomkins," the old cat, when she came and mewed, and mewed, and put up her paw, and touched Mollie and Jamie and Betty and Teddy--first one and then the other, as much as to say, "Do come, some of you, and help me! Do come, _please_!" By and by the children's mama came out of the house and saw how queerly the cat was acting, and said: "Children, Mrs. Tomkins is trying to get you to go with her and see if her babies are all right." So the children left their play, and said: "Come, Mrs. Tomkins, we will go with you now."