As long as he could be seen
from the house, he walked slowly; but afterward he increased his pace.
He was very much afraid that mother, or someone else, should call to him
that he couldn't go. He didn't wish to do anything naughty, only to
persuade Jarro to come home; but he felt that those at home would not
have approved of the undertaking.
When Per Ola came down to the lake-shore, he called Jarro several
times. Thereupon he stood for a long time and waited, but no Jarro
appeared. He saw several birds that resembled the wild duck, but they
flew by without noticing him, and he could understand that none among
them was the right one.
When Jarro didn't come to him, the little boy thought that it would be
easier to find him if he went out on the lake. There were several good
craft lying along the shore, but they were tied. The only one that lay
loose, and at liberty, was an old leaky scow which was so unfit that no
one thought of using it. But Per Ola scrambled up in it without caring
that the whole bottom was filled with water. He had not strength enough
to use the oars, but instead, he seated himself to swing and rock in the
scow. Certainly no grown person would have succeeded in moving a scow
out on Takern in that manner; but when the tide is high--and ill-luck to
the fore--little children have a marvellous faculty for getting out to
sea.
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