"Excellent!" exclaimed M. Kollsen. "How admirably they are conducting the whole affair! The retreat of these fellows is completely cut off--their vessel taken, and driven ashore, while they are busy elsewhere."
"That is Oddo's doings," observed Orga quietly.
"Oddo's doings! How do you know? Are you serious? Can you see? Or did you hear?"
"I was by when Oddo told his plan to my father, and begged to be allowed to take the schooner. My father laughed so that I thought Oddo would be for going over to the enemy."
"No fear of that," said Erica. "Oddo has a brave, faithful heart."
"And," said his mistress, "a conscience and temper which will keep him meek and patient till he has atoned for mischief that he thinks he has done."
"I must see more of this boy," observed the bishop. "Did your father grant his request?" he inquired of Orga.
"At last he did. Oddo said that a young boy could do little good in the fight at the farm; but that he might lead a party to attack the schooner, in the absence of almost all her crew. He said it was no more than a boy might do, with half-a-dozen lads to help him; for he had reason to feel sure that only just hands enough to manage her would be left on board, and those the weakest of the pirate party. My father said there were men to spare, and he put twelve, well armed, under Oddo's orders."
"Who would submit to be under Oddo's command?" asked Frolich, laughing at the idea.
"Twice twelve, if he had wanted so many," replied Orga. "Between the goodness of the joke and their zeal, there were volunteers in plenty--my father told me, as he was putting me on my horse."
In a very few minutes all signs of fighting were over at the farm. But there was a fire. The barn was seen to smoke and then to flame. It was plain that the neighbours were at liberty to attend to the fire, and had no fighting on their hands. They were seen to form a line from the burning barn to the brink of the water, and to hand buckets till the fire was out. The barn had been nearly empty, and the fire did not spread farther; so that Madame Erlingsen herself did not spend one grudging thought on this small sacrifice, in return for their deliverance from the enemy, who, she had feared, would ransack her dwelling, and fire it over her children's heads. She was satisfied and thankful, if indeed the pirates were taken.