ing, genial face of cultivation and quiet
beauty.

On the morning our friends arrived at the village they found three
fishermen at work beside their cottage door, on the margin of the sea.
They were brothers--Ole, Maurice, and Eric Hughson; all young men,
handsome, strong and intelligent. Howard and Martin made friends with
them at once, and as the morning was calm and bright, entered into
arrangements with them for their best boat to be launched, so that our
friends might have a long sail, to visit some of the caverns abounding
on the coast, and to see the homes of the wild sea-birds, and the
haunts of the fowlers.

When the hamper of provisions was safely on board, and the party for
the picnic had followed it, of course the sea air and the fine scenery
set every tongue loose, so that the solitary places rang again with the
merry laughter and the voice of song. And then, when the first
irrepressible pleasure had spent itself a little, the young folks
gathered round the three brothers, and listened with attentive interest
to the yarns they were spinning to Mr. Morton about some of the places
they were passing; for every spot in the Shetlands has its own story.

Madeleine noticed that beneath the mirth and apparent gayety of the
men, there seemed to be an under-current of deep feeling, probably born
of sorrow, and she determined, if possible, to find her way to the
hearts of the fine manly fellows, in whom she began to be interested.

It was not long before an opportunity occurred. The boat was steered
round a huge bluff, and before our friends were aware where they were
going, they found themselves in a vast cavern. There was something
awful in the half-darkness into which they passed, and the dreary
stillness, only broken by the splashing of the water against the sides
of the cave, enhanced the feeling. As the boat rested in the midst of
the cavern, they looked up, and saw as it were, stars shining through
the massive roof; they looked around, and the huge rocks seemed like
burnished metal. It was a curious sight, and the sounds were equally
curious for every word they spoke came back again to the speaker, with
a ghostly hollowness.

Madeleine, with Howard and Martin, sang a song together, which sounded
splendidly within this vaulted cave, with all its wild re-echoings.
When it ended, the boat glided slowly out of the cavern, and although
they had enjoyed the somber magnificence they had left, they were all
glad