As the train wound through the beautiful farming-country, they caught occasional glimpses of beautiful Lake Mälar, and Professor Edgecombe said that in the spring, they should go to Stockholm by boat and enjoy the trip on the lake.
“The weather is too cold for us to take that trip, now,” he said, “and besides we want to get home before dark. You will soon find that the hours of daylight in Sweden at this time of the year are too precious to be used carelessly.”
Before the children could ask for an explanation of this speech, the train had reached Upsala. On the platform stood a gentleman who greeted their father very cordially. Their father introduced him as Professor Bjerkander and added that he had been most kind in helping him to prepare their home in Upsala. He left them at the entrance of their new home, promising that his wife and children would call that afternoon.
“That is a mark of courtesy, indeed,” said Professor Edgecombe to his wife, “for in this country it is the custom for strangers to call first and you see that Fru Bjerkander is going to conform to our usages.”
While he was speaking, he pressed an electric bell beside the pair of great doors which reminded the children of the entrance to a stable. When they opened, however, they saw a good-natured portress, who smiled at them when their father said something to her in Swedish.
They were delighted at the sight of the pleasant rooms opening before them, when they had climbed the stone stairs to the third floor. It had seemed impossible that they could ever make a cosy home in a house that seemed so grim and forbidding. Everything was in order, explained the smiling little maid in broken English, and they found that her words were quite true. The table was set for their mid-day meal and, except for the unpacking of their trunks and the arrangement of their few books and pictures, the home was ready for them.
“How did you ever do it?” exclaimed Mrs. Edgecombe delightedly to her husband. That gentleman shook his head. “You will have to thank Fru Bjerkander,” he said. “She helped me to find Stena, who has done it all under her direction.”
“Where did you find Stena?” asked his wife, who was pleased with the neat maid.
“She was waiting for us in the market-place,” replied her husband, and then explained that he had heard that all servants are engaged in Sweden during April and October. So he had gone to the market-place with Fru Bjerkander and had found Stena with many other lads and maids, each armed with a paper showing that they had their fathers’ written permission to go out to service.
