'But there
must still be a course open to me,' he thought. With his servants and
treasures, he journeyed through Dalecarlia until he arrived in the
desolate forests beyond the outskirts of the province. There he settled,
built houses and broke up land. Thus, you see, he was the first man to
settle in this part of the country."
As the boy listened to the last story, he looked very serious.
"I wonder what your object is in telling me all this?" he repeated.
Bataki twisted and turned and screwed up his eyes, and it was some time
before he answered the boy.
"Since we are here alone," he said finally, "I shall take this
opportunity to question you regarding a certain matter.
"Have you ever tried to ascertain upon what terms the elf who
transformed you was to restore you to a normal human being?"
"The only stipulation I've heard anything about was that I should take
the white goosey-gander up to Lapland and bring him back to Skane, safe
and sound."
"I thought as much," said Bataki; "for when last we met, you talked
confidently of there being nothing more contemptible than deceiving a
friend who trusts one. You'd better ask Akka about the terms. You know,
I dare say, that she was at your home and talked with the elf."
"Akka hasn't told me of this," said the boy wonderingly.
"She must have thought that it was best for you not to know just what
the elf _did_ say.
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