With pleased astonishment she lifted her eyes, and saw an individual whom we need scarcely inform our readers was the owner of the knapsack.  He was descending a hill, holding to his lips a blade of grass, upon which he would occasionally blow a vigorous and ear-piercing blast.

“Have you come at last, my naiad queen?” said the youth.  “We were such pleasant companions last evening, that I came hither in the hope of finding you at your bath again.”

“A naiad queen might bathe her feet before you; but I—­” She ceased speaking, and a deep blush suffused her cheeks.

“Ah! then you know something about the naiads, my child?”

“Yes, and about the sylphs, too,” replied Nanna, nodding her head, proud at having an opportunity of displaying her knowledge before one whom, besides her father, was the only person that she had ever cared to interest.

“You surprise me!  What have you read?”

“O, a little of everything.  My father has a large book case, and I have a small collection of books, myself.”

“Hm, hm,” said the embryo secretary, “but enumerate to me some of the books you have read.”

“Do you really wish to know?”

“Yes, dear Nanna,—­pardon me—­Mademoiselle Nanna I should have said.  Now Mademoiselle, please be seated, the grass is quite soft.  I wish to catechise you a little.”

“But I shall not answer you, sir, if you call me Mademoiselle; it sounds so cold and disagreeable.”

“Well, I will be careful not to do so; but let us make a commencement.”

“With my qualifications?”

“Certainly; but why do you sit at such a distance?”

“We are not so far from each other.”

“That proves you to be no mathematician.  Now, tell me, how many yards distance are there between us?”

“Three, I think.”

“Poor child, you have not reached your A B C’s in arithmetic; but I will be your instructor.”

“How so?”

“You shall soon see.”  He quickly unloosed his neckcloth.  “This,” he continued, “is precisely one yard in length.  Now, I will measure the ground, and when I have measured three yards, then—­”

“What then?”

“Then I will seat myself; for you have yourself chosen the distance.”

The unsuspecting Nanna had not the slightest idea of the little plot the young man had arranged to entrap her.  The poor child was unaccustomed to mirth; for although Magde, Ragnar, and Carl, often indulged in boisterous sports, still Nanna never could feel an inclination to mingle with them, but had merely smiled at their ridiculous jokes.  Never had the clear ringing laugh of gleeful childhood issued over her lips; but upon the present occasion her innocent heart entered into the spirit of her gay companion, and when he deliberately measured three lengths of his neckcloth from the spot where he was sitting, and then gravely seated himself at her very side, a merry laugh broke from her lips, in which the youth joined.