At last she made an effort to bring him to the point, and asked him if he had caught many lobsters that night.
"Twenty-seven," answered Per.
That was neither many nor few, so there was no more to be said about that.
"You did row hard yesterday," said she, looking down, for now she felt that they were nearing the point.
"It was because--because I was alone in the boat," returned he, stammering.

He saw at once that it was a stupid remark, but it was said and could not be mended.
"Perhaps you prefer to be alone in the boat ?" she asked hastily, fixing her eyes upon him.

But when she saw the long helpless creature standing before her in such a miserable state of confusion, strong and handsome as he was, she sprang up, threw her arms round his neck, and said, half laughing, half crying, "Oh, Per! Per!" Per had not the faintest idea how he ought to behave when a lady had her arms round his neck, and so stood perfectly still.

He looked down upon her long dark hair and slender figure, and, trembling at his own audacity, he put his heavy arm limply round her.
They were now out on the dunes, and she sat down behind one of the largest tussocks, on the warm sand.

He ventured to place himself by her side, and looked vacantly around him.