"Oh, I'll walk--I love walking."
The street at the top of the jetty was thronged with the people who were waiting outside the polling place to hear the result of the election, and when the girls came to the crowd, which was good-natured but boisterous, they found it difficult to plow their way through until a big man stepped before them and swept the people aside like ninepins.
"What a tremendous creature that was," said Helga. "He could have felled an ox, I fancy."
"But didn't you know him, Helga? It was Magnus Stephenson," said Thora.
"Magnus? Why didn't he speak, I wonder?"
They had reached the outskirts of the crowd and were crossing in front of the polling place when the people raised a great shout, for it was the moment when the Sheriff stepped on to the balcony.
"He's going to declare the poll. Shall we wait?" asked Thora.
"It might be amusing," said Helga.
As soon as there was silence the Sheriff read the figures. Oscar had been elected by three votes to one. At this there was another hurricane of cheers, with cries of "Oscar!" "Oscar!" and Thora said:
"Oscar will come next. Shall we wait and see him?"