He had one unbearable fault, he was a fearful tease. He often got a beating for it from the master or his father, or his companions, but a moment after he would begin again. This sort of courage was beyond the peasant boy's comprehension. Therefore a friendly word or smile from Edward had a greater effect than it was really worth; it had about it a sunny glow of gracious condescension. This coaxing, kindly questioning, coming from the bird of prey (though its beak only was visible), together with the bright, shining eyes, made Ole give in. As soon as Edward changed his tactics and asked innocently to be allowed to look at the box he gave it up, and felt so safe and at his ease that he dried his eyes with his big gloves, took off the one glove and blew his nose, then remembering that someone had given him a checked pocket-handkerchief for that purpose, he looked for it in his pockets but could not find it. Edward had unfastened the lid of the box; before he raised it he looked up, saying, "May I?" "Yes, you may." Edward put the lid on one side and took off a handkerchief, under which lay a large book; it was a Bible. He felt rather small, almost awed. Underneath the Bible lay several unbound books; he took up a few of them, turned them over and put them back again; they were religious tracts. He laid down the Bible again carefully, just as he had found it, spread the handkerchief over it, and shut the lid. In reality he was not a bit wiser than before, but he was more curious. "You surely don't read the Bible to the people down there?" asked he. Ole Tuft blushed. "Yes, I do, sometimes, and then----" "Who do you read to?" "Oh, to the sick, but it is not often I can get so far." "Do you go and visit the sick?" "Yes, it is just the sick I do visit." "The sick? What can you do for them?" "Oh, I help them as well as I can." "You?" repeated Edward, with all the astonishment he was capable of. After a pause he went on. "But how do you help them? Do you take food to them?" "Sometimes I do. I help them whenever they need it; I change the straw under them." "Change the straw?" "Why, yes, they lie upon straw, and then, don't you see, they would lie on there, no matter how dirty it got, for they are ill and cannot help themselves, and often in the daytime they are left quite alone when every one is out at work and the children are at school. So when I come in the afternoon, I go first to the boats just in from along the coast with straw, and there I buy what I need and carry it up and then take away the old straw." "But, my dear fellow, have you got money to buy it with?" asked Edward. "My aunt collects money for me, and so does Josephine too." "Josephine!" exclaimed the brother. "Yes; oh, but perhaps I ought not to have told." "Who does Josephine get money from?" asked Edward, with all an elder brother's aroused curiosity. Ole bethought himself a moment, then answered decidedly and clearly: "From your father." "From father?"