them with the utmost respect.

“Well, Ole, you look better than when I saw you last,” said Mr. Lowington.

“Yes, sir; and I feel better,” replied Ole, bowing low to the “big gentleman.”

“And you speak English very well, indeed.”

“Thank you, sir.”

“Can you speak Norwegian as well?”

“Yes, sir; better, I hope.”

“Monsieur Badois, will you ask him a question or two in Norwegian,” added the principal, turning to the professor of modern languages, who prided himself on being able to speak fourteen different tongues; “I begin to doubt whether he is a Norwegian.”

“I will, sir,” replied monsieur, who was always glad of an opportunity to exhibit his linguistic powers. “Hvor staae det til?” (How do you do?)

“Jeg takker, meget vel.” (Very well, I thank you), replied Ole.

“Forstaaer De mig?” (Do you understand me?)

“Ja, jeg forstaaer Dem meget vel.” (Yes, I understand you very well.)

“That will do,” interposed Mr. Lowington.

“He speaks Norsk very well,” added the professor.

“So do you, sir,” said Ole, with a low bow to Monsieur Badois.

“Meget vel,” laughed the professor.

“I am satisfied, Ole. Now, have you concluded to tell me how you happened to be in that boat, so far from the land.”

The waif counted the seams in the quarter-deck, but nothing could induce him to answer the question.

“I have given you a suit of clothes, and I desire to be of service to you.”

“I thank you, sir; and a good supper, the best I ever had, though I have often fished with English gentlemen, even with lords and sirs.”

“If you will tell me who your friends are—”

“I have no friends, sir.”

“You lived on shore, or sailed on the sea, with somebody, I suppose.”

Ole looked down, and did not deny the proposition.

“Now, if you will tell me whom you lived with, I may be able to do something for you.”

Still the waif was silent.

“Berth No. 72 in the steerage is vacant, and I will give it to you, if I can be sure it is right for me to do so.”

But Ole could not, or would not, give any information on this point, though he was earnest in his desire to remain in the ship.

“Very well, Ole; as you will not tell me your story, I shall be obliged to leave you on shore at Christiansand,” said the principal, as he walked away.

Dr. Winstock also tried to induce the youth to reveal what he plainly regarded as a secret, but with no different result. Ole passed from the officers to the crew again, and with the latter his answers were like those given to Sanford and his companions. He invented strange explanations, and told wild stories, but not a soul on board was the wiser for anything he said. The waif was permitted to occupy berth No. 72, but was distinctly assured that he must leave the ship when she arrived at Christiansand.

The wind continued light during the night, but at four o’clock in the morning the squadron was off Gunnarshoug Point, and not more than four miles from the land. The shore was fringed with innumerable islands, which made the coast very picturesque, though it was exceedingly barren and desolate. Most of the islands were only bare rocks, the long swells rolling completely over some of the smaller ones. The students on deck watched the early sunrise, and studied the contour of the coast with deep interest, till it became an old story, and then whistled for a breeze to take them along more rapidly towards their port of destination. The fleet was now fully in the Skager Rack, or Sleeve, as it is also called on the British nautical charts.

At eight bells, when, with the forenoon watch, commenced the regular routine of study in the steerage, all the students had seen the Naze, or Lindersnaes, as the Norwegians call it—the southern cape of Norway. It is a reddish headland, beyond which were some hills covered with snow in the spring time. Ole Amundsen remained on deck all day, and had a name for every island and cliff on the coast. He declared that he was competent to pilot the ship into the harbor, for he had often been there. But when the fleet was off Ox-Oe, at the entrance to the port, a regular pilot was taken, at three o’clock in the afternoon. The Josephine and the Tritonia also obtained pilots soon after. The recitations were suspended in order to enable the students to see the harbor.

Ole was wanted to explain the various objects which were presented to the view of the young mariners, but no one had seen him since the pilot came on board. All the habitable parts of the vessel were searched, and the stewards even examined the hold; but he could not be found. Mr. Lowington was anxious to see him, to ascertain whether he had changed his mind in regard to his secret; but Ole had disappeared as strangely as he had come on board of the ship.