[Subsection]

In the morning they woke late. But that was as it should be in town. Townspeople slept late.

The town woke too. Carts rattled past, and people's feet in increasing numbers clattered past as well.

Per and Hans dressed and sat waiting for Skrim. Skrim woke very late in a bad temper, but he gave them breakfast. Then they were allowed to do as they liked: Skrim was going   [p. 135]   to sell the herd, and that was of no interest to boys, he said. "Here's five kroner, and we'll meet again here this evening. I'll have to send you home tomorrow morning by the boat."

They stood thunderstruck.

"Don't you have eyes in your heads? It's five kroner."

They rushed for the door. Five kroner was a lot of money, and their wishes were many and ambitious.

The town was in full swing again, noisy and crowded. Their joy increased. They looked around them, smiling. They smiled so happily and openly that a young girl stopped in front of them and smiled back without being aware of it. Then she started in surprise and hurried away. They were happy; everyone was happy today. Per hid away the anxieties of the night. They took care not to stand staring like country bumpkins, but looked critically at everything they came across.

They went into the shops and bought objects that were cheaper than five kroner, pleased with themselves, paying in cash. They went down to the quay and looked at the boats. They recognized it all from books and pictures.

They forgot to buy food; they were not hungry. They kept away from the slaughterhouse and the cattle. Then they started on a fresh round: boats, tall factory chimneys, a rushing mill, well-dressed people, carts, enormous loads, pretty young girls---more than they had imagined could exist---a huge clock face up on a church wall, people, shop windows, a funeral procession, children, more pretty girls.

At the end of the street they were brought up short: they had come back to the cattle again. It looked as if all the streets finished up at the cattle. The big slaughterhouse lay close by. Skrim and someone else were driving six or seven of the cows in through the gate of the slaughterhouse. Per and Hans turned without a word, dead tired. The clock on the church tower told them that it was five o'clock in the afternoon.

They were hungry, and their money had been exchanged for goods. They went to the hotel and waited for Skrim. A little dejected, a little regretful, they tried the stimulation of   [p. 136]   their newly-purchased cigarettes, but rather apathetically. Tomorrow morning they were going home. Would it be good to be home again? They did not know. It was good not to have to choose.