youth and her blessed kindly ways. "And how did you get on today?" she
would ask. "Did you meet a bear in the woods?" But one evening she thanked
Falkenberg for doing her piano so nicely. What? did she mean it?
Falkenberg's weather-beaten face grew quite handsome with pleasure; I felt
proud of him when he answered modestly that he thought himself it was a
little better now.

Either he had gained by his experience in tuning already, or Fruen was
grateful to him for not having spoiled the grand piano.

Falkenberg dressed up in my town clothes every evening. It wouldn't do for
me to take them back now and wear them myself; every one would believe I'd
borrowed them from him.

"Let me have Emma, and you can keep the clothes," I said in jest.

"All right, you can take her," he answered.

I began to see then that Falkenberg was growing cooler towards his girl.
Oh, but Falkenberg had fallen in love too, the same as I. What simple boys
we were!

"Wonder if she will give us a look in this evening again?" Falkenberg
would say while we were out at work.

And I would answer that I didn't care how long the Captain stayed away.

"No, you're right," said Falkenberg. "And I say, if I find he isn't decent
to her, there'll be trouble."