to the land and look after his old father! Afterward, when that was
done, he would go out into the world himself, and bring such things
home with him--whole shiploads of them!

They were calling him from the workshop window. "Where in the
world has that little blighter got to?" he heard them say. He
started, shrinking; he had quite forgotten that he was serving
his apprenticeship. He got on his feet and ran quickly indoors.

Pelle had soon tidied up after leaving off work. The others had run
out in search of amusement; he was alone upstairs in the garret.
He put his worldly possessions into his sack. There was a whole
collection of wonderful things--tin steamboats, railway-trains, and
horses that were hollow inside--as much of the irresistible wonders
of the town as he had been able to obtain for five white krone
pieces. They went in among the washing, so that they should not
get damaged, and then he threw the bag out of the gable-window into
the little alley. Now the question was how he himself should slip
through the kitchen without arousing the suspicions of Jeppe's old
woman; she had eyes like a witch, and Pelle had a feeling that every
one who saw him would know what he was about.

But he went. He controlled himself, and sauntered along, so that
the people should think he was taking washing to the laundrywoman;
but he could only keep it up as far as the first turning; then
he started off as fast as he could go. He was homesick. A few
street-boys yelled and threw stones after him, but that didn't
matter, so long as he only got away; he was insensible to everything
but the remorse and homesickness that filled his heart.