"Who is it, then?" asked others. "Who is it? Yes; who is it?"

"He will find that out who has the number," replied the school-master,
sternly. He would have no more questions. "Now go home nicely,
children. Give thanks to your God and gladden your parents. Thank
your old school-master too; you would have been in a pretty fix if it
had not been for him."

They thanked him, laughed, and went their way jubilantly, for at this
moment when they were about to go home to their parents they all felt
happy. Only one remained behind, who could not at once find his books,
and who when he had found them sat down as if he must read them over
again.

The school-master went up to him.

"Well, Oyvind, are you not going with the rest?"

There was no reply.

"Why do you open your books?"

"I want to find out what I answered wrong to-day."

"You answered nothing wrong."

Then Oyvind looked at him; tears filled his eyes, but he gazed intently
at the school-master, while one by one trickled down his cheeks, and
not a word did he say. The school-master sat down in front of him.