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"Yes; I am just ready to," answered the milkmaid. "Are you ready, Lisbeth?" "I am milking my last goat." Soon everything was done, and the animals stood waiting to be let out. Ole had with him a strong band woven of willow withes, with an ingeniously fastened loop at each end. One loop was for Peter's billy goat, the other for Crookhorn. Ole thought it was a very fine apparatus indeed.
She descended from the roof and went over to where the boys were. The conversation came to a standstill again; they could not think of anything to say. Finally Peter spoke. "Are you coming again next summer, Lisbeth?" "Yes, if Kjersti Hoel is pleased with me; but that can hardly be expected, since I am going home without Crookhorn." "It would take a horse trainer to look after her," said Ole.
Lisbeth then went nearer, thinking that she could pull better without such a length of rope between her and the goat; but at that, quick as a wink, Crookhorn lowered her head and butted Lisbeth, causing the little girl to fall back against the hillside with a whack. Upon which, Crookhorn stalked in an indifferent manner across the road.
The last two months of the winter had passed so quickly up at Peerout Castle that Lisbeth really could not tell what had become of them; and this was owing not a little to the fact that, besides all her other work, she had so much to do in the cow house. Crookhorn had become, as it were, Lisbeth's cow, and consequently had to be taken care of by her.
Lisbeth, for her part, thought they ought all to help; that was the only proper way. And her suggestion was finally followed. Ole's taming of Crookhorn was the errand that brought the boys to the Hoel Sæter on the morning that Lisbeth and the milkmaid were doing their milking so early.
It was dark, and the military horse failed to see that it was only Crookhorn at his heels; so up went his hind legs and out went a kick that landed plump on Crookhorn's cranium and sent her flying against the stable wall. That was the last of Crookhorn.
That great day was what she was waiting for, not only because it would be so pleasant for Crookhorn to be out, but because no food was equal to the first buds of spring for making goats yield rich milk. Lisbeth's mother had been far from well ever since the day that Lisbeth went over to Hoel Farm for the first time.
Then Ole went into the cow house, and in a few moments came back leading Crookhorn by the band of willow withes. The next step was to fasten the other loop around the billy goat's neck, and behold! there stood the two goats harnessed together. But neither of them seemed to notice that anything had been done.
They would take her with them again the next day. She should get her deserts. But it turned out otherwise. Crookhorn knew better than to let such a thing happen. When they took off the willow band she stood still awhile with her neck stretched up, looking at the horses which were at that moment going out of the inclosure.
Ole speculated a while as to what he could do to beat that, and then he hit upon an idea, he would tame Crookhorn! They had often seen Crookhorn going with the cows as if she were one of them; and they knew that though she was Lisbeth's own goat there was no use in trying to make her go with the other goats.
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