^ 



WITH CARL OF THE HILL 2>7 



unconcern. But if one of the boys were in there 

 with her the squirrel would not come. He would 

 give one glance round the corner and, seeing the 

 intruder, hurtle away backwards up the tree in a 

 series of jerks and angry " chucketings," his resent- 

 ment was so great. 



New Year's Eve was a great occasion at the hut. 

 Then Olaf Christensen, Sunlight's godfather, would 

 come down to spend the night, and Sunlight — the 

 one day in all the year— could hear the midnight 

 clock strike twelve. And then they would sing the 

 old hymn that runs — 



It is gone across the snow, 



All the old year that I knew; 

 It is gone for weal or woe. 



Good or evil, false or true. 

 With the new year. Saviour mild, 

 Make me as a little child; 



and then all would go to bed. But until twelve 

 o'clock they used to sit round the fire, while Carl in 

 his wonderful way was telling sagas. And once as 

 they listened to the story of the Great King Olaf, 

 Sunlight sitting on her father's knee, her head on his 

 shoulder, following half asleep some train of childish 

 thought, broke in suddenly with, " Father, dear, when 



J'tT' -i.t'iW'.' .-i-iLAirvo^ n-i^. 



