midnight
Erica hastened to the seater , to discover whether Erlingsen had left his axe behind , and whether Jan had one with him . Jan had an axe , and remembering his duty , though tired and sleepy , was just going to the nearest pine grove with it when Erica reached home ; she seized Erlingsen 's axe and went also , and stuck it in a tree , just within the verge of the grove , which was in that part a thicket , from the growth of underwood . This thicket was so near the back of the dairy that the two were home in five minutes ; yet they found Frolich almost as impatient as if they had been gone an hour . She asked whether their heathen worship was done at last , so that all might go to bed , or whether they were to be kept awake till midnight by more mummery ? Erica replied by showing that Jan was already gone to his loft over the shed , and begging leave to comb and curl Frolich 's hair , and see her to rest at once . Stiorna was asleep ; and Erica herself meant to watch the cattle this night . They lay couched in the grass , all near each other , and within view , in the mild slanting sunshine , and here she intended to sit , on the bench outside the home-shed , and keep her eye on them till morning .