She sat up now, looked Magnhild full in the eyes, gently raising her friend's head as she did so. "I have resolved to make you pretty, prettier than myself. Do you see what I have bought for you to-day?" On the table behind Magnhild lay the materials for a summer costume. "This is for you, it will be becoming." "But, dear lady!" "Hush! Not a word, my friend! I am not happy unless I can do something of the kind--and, in this case, I have my own reasons into the bargain." Her large, wondrous eyes seemed to float away in dreams. "There, that will do!" said she, and rose hastily. "Now we will dine together; but first we must have a short stroll, and in the afternoon a long stroll, and then we will have some singing and afterwards a delightful siesta; that is what he likes!" But neither short nor long stroll was accomplished, for it rained. So the lady busied herself with cutting out Magnhild's dress; it was to be made in the neighborhood after Fru Bang's own pattern. They sang together, and even longer than on the preceding day. A supply of songs for two voices was telegraphed for; a few days later the package arrived. During the days which followed most of the songs were gone through with the utmost accuracy. Every day Magnhild had her regular lesson. Tande entered into it with the same business-like silence as on the first day. Magnhild gained courage. Wonderful days these were! Song followed upon song, and these three were continually together, chiefly at the lady's, where they most frequently both dined and supped. One day Fru Bang would be in the most radiant mood, the next tormented with headache, and then she would have a black, red, and brown kerchief tied like a turban, about her head, and would sit or recline on the sofa, in languid revery. As they were thus assembled together one day, and Magda stood at the window, the little one said,-- "There goes a man into your house, Magnhild: he is lame." Magnhild sprang up, very red. "What is it?" asked Fru Bang, who was lying on the sofa with a headache, and had been talking in a whisper with Tande. "Oh! it is"--Magnhild was searching for her hat; she found it and withdrew. From the open window she heard the child say: "A lame, ugly man, who"-- Skarlie was working this year on the sea-coast. A foreign ship had been wrecked there Skarlie and some men in Bergen had bought it; for they could repair it at a much less outlay than had originally been estimated. They had made an uncommonly good bargain. Skarlie supervised the carpentering, painting, and leather work of refitting the vessel. He had come home now after a fresh supply of provisions for the workmen.