HASSEL AND THE COAL 311 



approached Hassel. He looked as if he had plenty to 

 do, and was sawing away so that the sawdust was 

 flying. " 'Morning." -" 'Morning." The sawdust flew 

 faster and faster. ; You seem to be busy to-day." 



' Oh yes!" the saw was now working with dangerous 

 rapidity 'if I'm to get finished for the holiday, I 

 must hurry up." ' How's the coal-supply getting on?" 

 That took effect. The saw stopped instantly, was 

 raised, and put down by the wall. I waited for the 

 next step in suppressed excitement; something hitherto 

 undreamt of must be going to happen. Hassel looked 

 round one can never be careful enough approached 

 my host, and whispered, with ever)'' sign of caution: 



' I did him out of twenty-five kilos last week." I 

 breathed again; I had expected something much worse 

 than that. With a smile of satisfaction Hassel re- 

 sumed his interrupted work, and I believe nothing in 

 the world would have stopped him again. The last I 

 saw as we returned through the doorway was Hassel 

 surrounded by a halo of sawdust. 



We were back on the Barrier surface ; a touch of the 

 finger, and the trap-door swung over and fell noise- 

 lessly into its place. I could see that Hassel was 

 capable of other things besides sawing birchwood. 

 Outside lay his team, guarding all his movements 

 Mikkel, Rseven, Masmas, and Else. They all looked 

 well. Now we were going to see the others. 



We went over to the entrance of the hut and raised 



