And they put off from land, and went to sea.
Seimke was so happy, and smote her hands together, and took her turn at the oars.
The northern light shot out like a comb, all greeny-red and fiery, and licked and played upon her face. She talked to it, and fought it with her hands, and her eyes sparkled. She used both tongue and mouth and rapid gestures as she exchanged words with it.
Then it grew dark, and she lay on his bosom, so that he could feel her warm breath. Her black hair lay right over him, and she was as soft and warm to the touch as a ptarmigan when it is frightened and its blood throbs.
Jack put the reindeer-skin over Seimke, and the boat rocked them to and fro on the heavy sea as if it were a cradle.
They sailed on and on till night-fall; they sailed on and on till they saw neither headland nor island nor sea-bird in the outer skerries more.
[1] This untranslatable word is a derivative of the Icelandic Gandr, and means magic of the black or malefic sort.
[2] The northernmost province of Norway, right within the Arctic circle.
[3] The huts peculiar to the Norwegian Finns.