Then the folk came out from the depths of the forest and from the mountain caves where they had sought refuge in the hour of danger, and many came from their burnt farms. They gathered at the church to consult together as to what was best to be done now. For one thing, they must decide the fate of the six captive Cossacks,—the five on the island having also been captured.
"Kill them! Kill them!" shouted several.
"No, give them to Sikku," said others. "He captured them."
So the six Cossacks were given to Sikku who exacted the promise from them that they would not fight against Finland any more. Then he let them go, free and unharmed.
The farmer of Anttilla and his wife had settled themselves in a tiny hut on their estate which the enemy, in their headlong haste, had not burned.
"Alas!" said the wife, the first evening they sat in their new poor home. "If we only had our beautiful cows now!"
"If we only had!" said the farmer.
At that moment they saw a little bareheaded, barefooted boy come from the hillside grove toward the hut, driving before him, with the help of a long-nosed, yellow dog, a herd of nine beautiful cows.
"Isn't that Sikku? And Kettu?" exclaimed the farmer.
"And are not those our cows?" cried the farm mistress.