"Him!" said the other, and pointed to Hauke; "Ole Peters wanted to make him out as a boy; but the others shouted against it.--'And his father has cattle and land,' said Jess Hansen.--'Yes, land,' cried Ole Peters, 'land that one can cart away on thirteen wheelbarrows!' Last came Ole Hensen: 'Keep still!' he cried; 'I'll make things clear: tell me, who is the first man in the village?'--Then all kept mum and seemed to be thinking. Then a voice said: 'I should say it was the dikemaster!'--'And who is the dikemaster?' cried Ole Hensen again; 'but now think twice!'--Then somebody began to laugh quietly, and then someone else too, and so on till there was nothing but loud laughter in the room.--'Well, then call him,' said Ole Hensen; 'you don't want to keep the dikemaster out in the cold!'--I believe they're still laughing; but Ole Peters's voice could not be heard any more!" Thus the young fellow ended his account. Almost in the same instant the door of the room inside the house was opened suddenly and out into the cold night sounded loud and merry cries of "Hauke! Hauke Haien!" Then Hauke marched into the house and never could hear the rest of the story of who was the dikemaster; meanwhile no one has found out what was going on in his head. After a while, when he approached the house of his employers, he saw Elke standing by the fence below, where the ascent began; the moonlight was shimmering over the measureless white frosted pasture. "You are standing here, Elke?" he asked. She only nodded: "What happened?" she said; "has he dared?" "What wouldn't he--?" "Well, and--?" "Yes, Elke; I'm allowed to try it to-morrow!" "Good night, Hauke!" And she fled up the slope and vanished into the house. Slowly he followed her.