pt in answer to a signal of
distress or through seeing brother mariners in peril.

"So, you see," said Madame Dort, as soon as she had reached the end of
the sheet, "we must not hope to hear from the dear boy again for some
time, and can only trust that all will go well with him on the voyage!"
She heaved a heavy sigh from the bottom of her mother's heart as she
spoke, and her face looked sad again, like it had been before Eric's
letter came.

"Yes, that's right enough, mutterchen," answered Fritz hopefully; "but,
you can likewise see that Providence has watched over our Eric so far,
in preserving him safely, and there is now no reason for our feeling any
alarm on his account. We shall hear from him in the spring, without
doubt, telling us of his safe arrival at Java, and saying what time we
may look forward to expecting him home. At any rate, this dear letter
comes welcome enough now, and it will enable us to have a happier
Christmas-tide than we should otherwise have passed."

"Ach, that it does," put in old Lorischen, beginning again to bustle
about the room with all her former zest in making preparations for the
coming festival, which her melancholy forebodings about Eric and
superstitious, fears anent the cat's colloquy in the morning had
somewhat interrupted: "we shall have a right merry Christmas in spite of
the dear lad's absence. We must remember that he will be with us in
spirit, at least, and it would grieve him if we were down-hearted!"

This wise reflection of the old nurse, coupled with Fritz's hopeful
words, appeared to have a cheering influence on Madame Dort, whom many
trials had made rather more despondent than could have been expected
from her bright, handsome face, which did not seem sometimes to have
ever known what sorrow was; although, like Eric's, it exhibited for the
moment every passing mood, so that those familiar with her disposition
could almost read her very thoughts, her nature being so open.
Banishing her gloom away, apparently by the mere effort of will, she now
proceeded to assist Lorischen in getting the room decorated for the
Christmas Eve feast, of which all partook with more merriment and
content than the little household in the Gulden Strasse had known since
the sailor boy left. Nay, it seemed to them, happy with the tidings of
his safety and well-being, that Eric was there too in their midst; for
they drank his health before separating for the night, and his mother,
when p