"He is working in the iron mines," Birger explained. "He wants to save
money so that he can go to Stockholm and learn a trade. He doesn't want
to stay here in Lapland and wander about with the reindeer all his life."

"So?" said Lieutenant Ekman in surprise. "Your friend Erik seems to have
ambitions of his own."

"Look at Gerda!" whispered Birger suddenly.

Gerda sat on the ground with her back against the hut, and she was fast
asleep. "Poor child," said her father, as he carried her into the hut and
put her on a cot, "she has been awake all night. When she has had a
little rest we will go back to Gellivare and look up your friend Erik.
After we have all had a good night's sleep, we shall be ready to make a
call on his family and their reindeer."




CHAPTER VII

ERIK'S HOME IN LAPLAND


"This is the best part of our trip," Gerda said, two days later,
as she was standing in the shade of some fir trees at one of the
posting-stations a few miles from Gellivare, waiting for fresh horses
to be put into the carts. "I have been reading about Laplanders and their
reindeer ever since I can remember, and now I am going to see them in