Surely you must understand that such
a promise one need not keep?"
"Oh, no, I must keep it," said the boy. "I thank you all the same for
your kind intention, but you can't help me."
"Oh, can't I?" said Gorgo. "We'll see about that!" In a twinkling he
grasped Nils Holgersson in his big talons, and rose with him toward the
skies, disappearing in a northerly direction.
ON OVER GAeSTRIKLAND
THE PRECIOUS GIRDLE
_Wednesday, June fifteenth_.
The eagle kept on flying until he was a long distance north of
Stockholm. Then he sank to a wooded hillock where he relaxed his hold on
the boy.
The instant Thumbietot was out of Gorgo's clutches he started to run
back to the city as fast as he could.
The eagle made a long swoop, caught up to the boy, and stopped him with
his claw.
"Do you propose to go back to prison?" he demanded.
"That's my affair. I can go where I like, for all of you!" retorted the
boy, trying to get away. Thereupon the eagle gripped him with his strong
talons, and rose in the air.
Now Gorgo circled over the entire province of Uppland and did not stop
again until he came to the great water-falls at Aelvkarleby where he
alighted on a rock in the middle of the rushing rapids below the roaring
falls. Again he relaxed his hold on the captive.
The boy saw that here there was no chance of escape from the eagle.
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