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together。 But Olaf once saw Eric coming out of Vavrika's house
the old man had never asked the boy to come into his saloonand
Olaf went straight to his mother and told her。 That night Mrs。
Ericson came to Eric's room after he was in bed and made a terrible
scene。 She could be very terrifying when she was really angry。
She forbade him ever to speak to Vavrika again； and after that
night she would not allow him to go to town alone。 So it was a
long while before Eric got any more news of his brother。 But old
Joe suspected what was going on； and he carried Clara's letters
about in his pocket。 One Sunday he drove out to see a German
friend of his； and chanced to catch sight of Eric； sitting by the
cattle pond in the big pasture。 They went together into Fritz
Oberlies' barn； and read the letters and talked things over。 Eric
admitted that things were getting hard for him at home。 That very
night old Joe sat down and laboriously penned a statement of the
case to his daughter。
Things got no better for Eric。 His mother and Olaf felt
that； however closely he was watched； he still； as they said；
〃heard。〃 Mrs。 Ericson could not admit neutrality。 She had sent
Johanna Vavrika packing back to her brother's； though Olaf would
much rather have kept her than Anders' eldest daughter； whom Mrs。
Ericson installed in her place。 He was not so highhanded as his
mother； and he once sulkily told her that she might better have
taught her granddaughter to cook before she sent Johanna away。
Olaf could have borne a good deal for the sake of prunes spiced
in honey； the secret of which Johanna had taken away with her。
At last two letters came to Joe Vavrika： one from Nils；
enclosing a postal order for money to pay Eric's passage to
Bergen； and one from Clara； saying that Nils had a place for Eric
in the offices of his company； that he was to live with them； and
that they were only waiting for him to come。 He was to leave New
York on one of the boats of Nils' own line； the captain was one
of their friends； and Eric was to make himself known at once。
Nils' directions were so explicit that a baby could have
followed them； Eric felt。 And here he was； nearing Red Oak；
Iowa； and rocking backward and forward in despair。 Never had he
loved his brother so much； and never had the big world called to
him so hard。 But there was a lump in his throat which would not
go down。 Ever since nightfall he had been tormented by the
thought of his mother； alone in that big house that had sent
forth so many men。 Her unkindness now seemed so little； and her
loneliness so great。 He remembered everything she had ever done
for him： how frightened she had been when he tore his hand in the
corn…sheller； and how she wouldn't let Olaf scold him。 When Nils
went away he didn't leave his mother all alone； or he would never
have gone。 Eric felt sure of that。
The train whistled。 The conductor came in； smiling not unkindly。
〃Well； young man； what are you going to do？ We stop at Red Oak in
three minutes。〃
〃Yes； thank you。 I'll let you know。〃 The conductor went out；
and the boy doubled up with misery。 He couldn't let his one chance
go like this。 He felt for his breast pocket and crackled Nils'
letter to give him courage。 He didn't want Nils to be ashamed of
him。 The train stopped。 Suddenly he remembered his brother's
kind； twinkling eyes； that always looked at you as if from far
away。 The lump in his throat softened。 〃Ah； but Nils； Nils would
understand！〃 he thought。 〃That's just it about Nils； he
always understands。〃
A lank； pale boy with a canvas telescope stumbled off the
train to the Red Oak siding； just as the conductor called； 〃All
aboard！〃
The next night Mrs。 Ericson was sitting alone in her wooden
rocking…chair on the front porch。 Little Hilda had been sent to
bed and had cried herself to sleep。 The old woman's knitting was
on her lap； but her hands lay motionless on top of it。 For more
than an hour she had not moved a muscle。 She simply sat； as only
the Ericsons and the mountains can sit。 The house was dark； and
there was no sound but the croaking of the frogs down in the pond
of the little pasture。
Eric did not come home by the road； but across the fields；
where no one could see him。 He set his telescope down softly in
the kitchen shed； and slipped noiselessly along the path to the
front porch。 He sat down on the step without saying anything。
Mrs。 Ericson made no sign； and the frogs croaked on。 At last the
boy spoke timidly。
〃I've come back； Mother。〃
〃Very well；〃 said Mrs。 Ericson。
Eric leaned over and picked up a little stick out of the grass。
〃How about the milking？〃 he faltered。
〃That's been done； hours ago。〃
〃Who did you get？〃
〃Get？ I did it myself。 I can milk as good as any of you。〃
Eric slid along the step nearer to her。 〃Oh； Mother； why did you？〃
he asked sorrowfully。 〃Why didn't you get one of Otto's boys？〃
〃I didn't want anybody to know I was in need of a boy；〃 said
Mrs。 Ericson bitterly。 She looked straight in front of her and her
mouth tightened。 〃I always meant to give you the home farm；〃 she
added。
The boy stared and slid closer。 〃Oh； Mother；〃 he faltered； 〃I
don't care about the farm。 I came back because I thought you might
be needing me； maybe。〃 He hung his head and got no further。
〃Very well；〃 said Mrs。 Ericson。 Her hand went out from her
suddenly and rested on his head。 Her fingers twined themselves in
his soft； pale hair。 His tears splashed down on the boards；
happiness filled his heart。
End