"Quite alone," said Thora.
"But hasn't father come with you? Or Aunt Margret? Or that wonderful Oscar? Is there nobody but you?"
"Nobody but me," said Thora, and then, though she felt crushed and small, she delivered the Factor's message and told about the election.
"So that was the meaning of the band we heard as we were sailing up?" said Helga, and at the first moment Thora thought perhaps Helga had hoped it was in honor of her own arrival, but at the next she felt ashamed and foolish.
"We might as well go, then," said Helga, and she swept up the stairs, leaving Thora to follow. It was all so different from what Thora had expected--so utterly different--that she would have given anything to run away and cry.
But going ashore in the boat, she sat at the helm side by side with Helga, and there, the lights being gone, and Thora no longer in awe of Helga's fashion and beauty, she slipped her arm about her sister's waist, as she had always intended to do, and after that they got on better.
When they touched the jetty there was much shouting and scrambling in the darkness, and Thora was nervous and excited, but Helga was quiet and even amused.
"No carriages in this benighted country yet, I suppose?" said Helga.
"No, but I've brought Silvertop to take you up," said Thora.
"And what is there for you?"