Then Edward had to come forward. Ole turned away; he could not look on any longer, he was not used to that sort of thing. Edward dived and ducked, his father after him with clanking spurs. In his fright Edward rushed to Ole's mother with outstretched hand; she did not take it, but Ole began to yell. So much sympathy was too much for poor Edward; he too began to roar, as he dashed round and round the mother. There was such a hubbub and noise that again the goats stopped their munching and stared in, listening; the sparrows too, which had come back, flew away over the roof. And what happened? The sparrows showed the boy the way. Quick as lightning, he flew past his father and out at the door, which he left wide open behind him. They saw the goats fly on all sides, and the boy into the scaffolding, up the ladder, and on to the roof. Directly he got there he began to pull the ladder up after him. "Look at him! Look at him!" screamed his father from the window. "Hey!" and away he rushed. As soon as his son saw him coming he dropped the ladder which fell thundering down. Like a cat the lad ran up the rafters to the ridge of the roof and along that, balancing himself as though he had never done anything else all his life. He thought no more of his aching feet. His father was in great alarm: "Take care, I say, take care there, take care! Come away from there, and at _once!_ Come down, you young wretch!" He ran out into the yard in his long riding-boots and threatened him with the whip. "I think I see myself! I shall jump right down into the yard!" "Mad boy! Devil take him! Will you come down?" "Yes if you'll not beat me!" "I won't promise." "Oh, you won't promise?" and away crept the boy farther out along the ridge. "Yes, yes! O you wretch! O you coward!" "Well, have you promised?" "Devil take your promising. Come down, can't you!" "And you won't pull my hair either?" "Down with you! You'll only fall up there!" "You won't pull my hair and won't beat me, and won't do anything?" "No, no, no! But come down directly! Look, now you're slipping! Edward, do you hear?" shouted he. "Well, will you keep to what you promise?" "Oh! what don't you deserve!" and he threatened up with his whip. "Yes, yes, I promise! But take care!" But the boy went on: "May I stay here till tomorrow with Ole? May I?" "I won't answer anything till you come down." "Oh, you won't? all right!" "Oh you scoundrel; oh, you miserable rascal!" "Do you agree, then?" "Yes, deuce take you! But get away from the outer edge at least! Devil take the boy!" "I say, it might be just as well if you went away first father." "Not I; you'll not get me to do that. Never. I must see you down first."