that the mast might come to the surface alongside instead of disturbing
the balance of the boat below; and then they must climb up on the
swaying bottom of the boat and stave in the key-holes, to let out the
air which kept the boat too high in the water, and so ease her. After
great exertions they succeeded, and Elias, who had got up on the top
first, now helped the other two up after him.

There they sat through the long dark winter night, clinging convulsively
on by their hands and knees to the boat's bottom, which was drenched by
the billows again and again.

After the lapse of a couple of hours died Martin, whom his father had
held up the whole time as far as he was able, of sheer exhaustion, and
glided down into the sea. They had tried to cry for help several times,
but gave it up at last as a bad job.

Whilst they two thus sat all alone on the bottom of the boat, Elias said
to Bernt he must now needs believe that he too was about to be "along o'
mother!"[10] but that he had a strong hope that Bernt, at any rate,
would be saved, if he only held out like a man. Then he told him all
about the _Draug_, whom he had struck below the neck with the
_Kvejtepig_, and how it had now revenged itself upon him, and certainly
would not forbear till it was "quits with him."

It was towards nine o'clock in the morning when the grey dawn began to
appear. Then Elias gave to Bernt, who sat alongside him, his silver
watch with the brass chain, which he had snapped in two in order to drag
it from beneath his closely buttoned jacket. He held on for a little
time longer, but, as it got lighter, Bernt saw that his father's face
was deadly pale, his hair too had parted here and there, as often