"Oh, Hans, the poor little things are almost drowned." Greta picked up the two mewing kittens and held them close to her, trying to make them dry and warm and comfortable. "It certainly is lucky that we came along when we did," said Hans. "Or rather, it's lucky that Chouse was hunting rabbits along here." [Illustration: SAFE AGAIN] "But where are the other two kittens, Hans?" Hans didn't answer right away. He walked along the shore for a little distance, stopping now and then to look carefully in the water. At one place he got down on his knees and looked. Then he walked back quickly to Greta. "I'm afraid we shall never find them, Greta. Come on. Let's go home so that we can get these kittens really dry and warm. We must give them some warm milk, for I know they are hungry." All the way home Greta was very quiet. She took off her sweater and wrapped it around the kittens, holding them in her lap. Suddenly she looked up at Hans with a smile. "Hans, this certainly proves that Chouse didn't try to do away with the kittens, for he was the one who _rescued_ them. Surely Father won't send him away now." "I don't know, Greta. I saw Chouse chasing the chickens again yesterday." "Did Father see him?" asked Greta with a worried look. Hans was in a teasing mood and he didn't answer Greta right away. Finally he said, with an annoying smile on his face, "I think I'd better not tell you, Greta." CHAPTER IV EXCITEMENT IN THE FOREST "Oh, Father, I'm afraid to go any higher." Greta clung to her father's arm in terror. This was the first time she had climbed up the lookout tower in the forest, and even now she was only halfway up. It seemed such a fearfully long way to the top. "I just can't go on," the little girl pleaded. "Why, Greta, for months you've begged to climb up here." "But I didn't know it was so high." "You won't be scared if you don't look down at the ground. Just hold tightly to my hand and you will be all right. Remember, Greta, a girl who is named after a queen must not be afraid of anything." "All right, Father, I'll go on." [Illustration: AT THE TOP OF THE TOWER] In no time at all they reached the very top of the tower, which stood in the middle of the forest. "Why, Father, I can see all of Denmark from here." Her father laughed. "Not quite all of it, Greta. But you can see all of our farm and a good many other farms, too. By the way, Greta, just how large _is_ Denmark?" "I thought school was over for the summer," laughed Greta. "But I'll tell you anyway. Denmark covers exactly 16,574 square miles. Besides that, Denmark owns Greenland and the Faroe Islands. Any more questions, teacher?" "Not right away. I'll try to think up a really hard one next time."