"Mari, Ole, come here to me at once," called their mother.
It was the morning after the christening. The two children were sitting with their pet magpie under a tree near the house.
"What can be the matter, mother speaks so quickly?" whispered Ole, as he and his sister hurried to obey.
"Have you seen the silver brooch I wore at my throat yesterday?" said their mother, as soon as they came into the house.
The good woman seemed nervous. Her words came quickly, which was not a common thing, for she was a slow speaker, like other Norse people.
"Why, no, mother, of course not," said Mari. "Didn't you put it away in the box where you always keep it?"
"Certainly, my child, but I did not lock the box as usual. I found it open just now. Can it be possible that a thief has been here? It does not seem probable. Besides, my other ornaments are there safe. A thief would have taken all."
"I shouldn't wonder if I could guess who took the brooch, mother," said Ole. "It's the magpie. You know you said magpies like all kinds of shining objects."
"You handsome little mischief, have you done it?" said the boy, as he looked at his pet.
The magpie had kept his seat on Ole's shoulder when the children came into the house. He looked from him to the boy's mother with bright eyes, as much as to say, "I could tell all about it, if I wished."