Just as she was ready to jump into bed, Greta heard a scratching sound on her door. It was Chouse, who felt very much neglected because Greta had forgotten to pat him good night. This was the first time she had forgotten it, but Chouse hadn't forgotten. So there he was. Greta hugged him tight. "Oh, Chouse, I _can't_ let Father send you away. Whatever would I do without you? Even if you did hide my kittens, I don't want to lose you. And you _will_ be a good dog, won't you?" Chouse barked once, which meant "Yes," and Greta hugged him again, just for luck. CHAPTER III A RIDE DOWN THE RIVER Greta read her letter over carefully to see if all the words were spelled right. This is what she had written to Anna: "_Dear Anna:_ _I would like to have you come and visit me this summer. I know we can have lots of fun. Hans says you may use his bicycle and also his boat. That is a real honor, for he won't let me use his boat. He says I am too small._ _I had four darling little kittens, but now they are gone and I can't find them anywhere. Do you suppose a Nisse took them away?_ _Chouse, my dog, has been very naughty and Father says he may have to send him away. I hope he won't, because I like to play with Chouse._ _Come as soon as you can. Mother and Father and Hans all send their love. So do I._ _Your cousin Greta._" She addressed the envelope, writing "Copenhagen" in very large letters. Just as she was going out of the door, her mother called to her. "When you are in the village, Greta, please stop at the bakery and bring back some bread. I told Marie to bake an extra loaf today, but she forgot it. And we have company coming tonight." "All right, Mother. I won't forget." As Greta rode into the village she thought of all the things that she and Anna could do that summer. She didn't have to pay much attention to cars coming down the gravel road, for there were many more bicycles than automobiles. Chouse ran right along beside her bicycle, but once in a while, when he saw a rabbit, he would suddenly dart away into the field. In a short time he would come tearing back and soon catch up with Greta. The fields were especially beautiful right now. The hay was yellow and almost ready to cut. Greta could see for several miles in every direction, for the land was flat and there were not many trees. In this part of Denmark the trees do not grow very large because of the wind that blows all the time, summer and winter. This wind from the North Sea never seems to stop blowing, and it blows so hard that the trees all lean to one side, away from the wind. There are scarcely any branches on the side that the wind comes from.