302 A DAY AT FRAMHEIM 



ended by declaring the maal* to be the only proper 

 speech of Norway, while their opponents maintained 

 the same of their language. 



After a while pipes came out, and the scent of "plug" 

 soon struggled with the fresh air for supremacy. Over 

 the tobacco the work for the day was discussed. 



; Well, I'll have enough to do supplying that wood- 

 swallower over the holiday," said Hassel. I gave a 

 chuckle. If Hassel had known of the way the paraffin 

 was used that morning, he would have added something 

 about the " oil-drinker," I expect. It was now half -past 

 eight, and Stubberud and Bjaaland got up. From the 

 number of different garments they took out and put on, 

 I guessed they were going out. Without saying any- 

 thing, they trudged out. Meanwhile the others con- 

 tinued their morning smoke, and some even began to 

 read, but by about nine they were all on the move. 

 They put on their skin clothing and made ready to go 

 out. By this time Bjaaland and Stubberud had returned 

 from a walk, as I understood from such remarks as 



' Beastly cold," ' Sharp snow by the depot," and the 

 like. Prestrud was the only one who did not get ready 

 to go out; he went to an open space underneath the 

 farthest bunk, where there was a box. He raised the 

 lid of this, and three chronometers appeared; at the 



* A language based on that of the country districts, as opposed to 

 the literary language, which is practically the same as Danish. The 

 maal is more closely related to Old Norse. TR. 



