184 AGAIN SAVED BY A WOMAN. 



The knight, however, had hardly reached his new abode, 

 before several of the Danish spies, having learned the route 

 he had taken, entered the room where he was warm- 

 ing himself before the oven Sven's wife being engaged at 

 the time in baking and began making inquiries after him. 

 When the woman saw the men, and learned their business, 

 she, to lull suspicion, gave Gustavus with the bread-shovel a 

 heavy whack across the shoulders, saying at the same time : 

 " Why do you stand there, you lout, gaping at strangers ? 

 Have you never seen people before ? Be off with you to 

 the barn and thrash." The knight said not a word; but 

 assuming the gait of a boor, he obeyed her orders, and 

 forthwith left the apartment. The presence of mind dis- 

 played by Sven's wife on this occasion, doubtless saved his 

 life ; for the soldiers, never dreaming that he could be the 

 man for whom they were looking, after searching the house 

 in vain, proceeded on their way. 



As at Rankhyttan, the barn at Isala, in which Gustavus 

 wielded the flail, is still in existence ; and the traveller 

 is shown an ancient inscription, cut in the walls of the 

 wooden building; as also a costly monument, which at an 

 after-period King Gustaf III. caused to be erected there, in 

 commemoration of the event. 



Gustavus' next adventure was still more hazardous than 

 the last. Sven, his protector, finding that the knight could 

 no longer remain in concealment at Isala, resolved on con- 

 signing him to the care of the two brothers, Mattias and 

 Per Olsson, who dwelt at the hamlet of Marnas in the heart 

 of the Finn-forest, and were known to be true and upright 

 Swedes. But as the reward offered for his apprehension was 

 now doubled, the country full of Christian's soldiers, and all 



