tz?" said he, as they approached
the wharf, for Lauritz Seehus's home was away at Flekkefjord.

"I think I shall stay with Madame Torvestad, where I always used to
lodge," said the lad.

"Oh, bother!" said Skipper Worse; "now that you are grown up you
cannot stay with that old bundle of tracts."

Observing, however, a certain expression on the countenances of his
men, he remembered himself, and added, "Ah, you scamp, it is for the
girls' sake that you wish to go to Madame Torvestad's. Mind what you
are about; remember that I command that ship too."

This was his joke, for Madame Torvestad rented a portion of the back
of his house.

When Skipper Worse reached the market quay he met with a sad
disappointment. Captain Randulf was away in the Baltic with a cargo
of herrings.

CHAPTER II

"Sarah, are you going to the meeting this afternoon?" said Madame
Torvestad to her eldest daughter.

"Yes, mother."

"Captain Worse has returned; I shall step across and welcome him
home. The poor man is probably still in his sins. Only think, Sarah,
if it should be granted to one of us to recover this wanderer from
the fold!"

Madame Torvestad looked hard at her daughter as she said this, but
Sarah, who stood at the kitchen dresser washing up the dinner plates,
did not raise her eyes, which were dark and large, with long
eyelashes, and heavy black eyebrows.

"You can just inquire among the friends if any would like to drop in
and talk over the subjects discussed at this meeting, that we may
strengthen and encourage one another."

"Yes, mother."

Madame Torvestad went into the sitting-room, which was rather dark,
being at the back part of the building. For the rest, it was well and
solidly furnished, very clean and orderly, but withal a little
formal. She was the widow of an elder among the Brethren, and after
her husband's death no other person had been forthcoming to supply
his place. The number of the genuine Herrnhutters was neither large
nor increasing, for the prevailing religious movement was rather in
the direction of Haugianism.

There was, however, so much conformity of doctrine, and such a
similarity in outward conduct, that the ordinary public could hardly
see a shade of difference between the Herrnhutters and the Haugians;
and, in truth, there was a gradual amalgamation of the two sects.

Originally there was no small difference between the Brethren and the
followers of Hauge. Hauge sought and foun